


A Breach in Time and Space

by resolutioninclockwork



Series: A Breach in Time and Space [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Apologies for the whiplash, Companionable Snark, F/M, From drama to fluff and back again, Gen, M/M, Plz don't forget him even when I do, Potentially a horrible idea, Rating May Change, Snark ahoy, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, Thedosians on Earth, There is a dog here, Unreliable Narrator, What Was I Thinking?, Whoops there's another romance, everyone did, potential smut?, who saw that coming?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-01-18 22:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 25,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12397926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/resolutioninclockwork/pseuds/resolutioninclockwork
Summary: It's a pretty common story: Girl lives alone in the mountains, girl meets fictional boy and his friends when they fall through a rift that shouldn't exist, girl takes all of them home.Tallulah Bronwyn doesn't usually go for visitors. She typically prefers her time to herself, keeping to the Colorado mountain cabin she inherited. She can't turn these guests away, though - they're not supposed to be here, and she knows what trouble is on their horizon. How much can you tell your fictional friends about their future before everything explodes?(I'm starting this with a buffer, but I've never written a longer fic before. I hope to keep to a semi-regular posting schedule.)





	1. Look, Toto!

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a nonsense idea, then wedged itself firmly into my subconscious. I dream about this disaster nearly every night, and I hope the effort and care for the concept shows through the absurdity.
> 
> Also, this isn't beta'd, and self-editing only gets me so far. If you find any typos or errors, please let me know!

The cabin had been Lu’s favorite place for as long as she could remember. Nestled in the mountains in Colorado, the cabin had been a getaway for her grandparents since they’d gotten married at 19. She’d spent every summer there with them, and when they passed they’d left it to her. She moved in within weeks of receiving the notice and hadn’t looked back.

 

It wasn’t very big, nestled slightly off the beaten path without being unreasonably remote, and she loved it. She spent the first couple of years fixing it up, getting internet and adding solar panels and a generator to make it more habitable in the snowier months. She wasn’t a seasonal resident, and she quickly discovered the downsides of living on a mountain by herself when the snows hit.

 

She’d been there nearly six years, happy and doing her thing, content to venture into the city every week or two to socialize and spend the rest of her time in the company of her spaniel mix, Bear. If that was to be the way the rest of her life went, she would have told you that would have been just fine by her.

 

It would have, except that her mountain was apparently prime real estate for visitors.

 

***

 

Lu took Bear out for his early evening walk down the trail near the cabin. She let him explore, tail wagging slowly as he made his first circuit of the trip. She relaxed into the pace the older spaniel set for her, enjoying his routine inspections. It didn’t matter that they walked this trail at least once a day – he needed to investigate each plant they passed, every single time.

 

About a third of the way around the trail, he lunged forward with a deep growl. It was so out of character that Lu nearly toppled, losing her already relaxed grip on the leash. “Bear! Heel!” He ignored her calls, plowing forward up the lightly wooded hill, barking madly.

 

Tromping after him (and making slightly better time than the aging dog through the snow drifts), she discovered him pacing at the edge of a clearing not far away. He was growling as he paced, hackles up and tense.

 

“Bear, what the crap? What the hell did you see? C’mon, pup. Let’s get ba- “

 

A flash of bright green light and a loud CRACK interrupted her, and set her stumbling backwards. Bear, for all his bravery just moments before, yelped and promptly ran off to hide behind a tree.

 

“Dammit, Bear. Are you okay? C’mon, let’s go home.” She pushed herself up and brushed away the snow, then turned to grab Bear’s leash - and froze as she noted the six figures that had very much not been in the clearing an instant ago.

 

“Vishante kaffas, what happened?”

 

“M’not sure. Everyone okay?”

 

“Looks like it. Where are we?”

 

“Maker’s breath, it’s cold! Did it send us back to the mountains?”

 

“I do not know. Inquisitor, do you- “

 

Lu gawped, her brain completely unwilling to accept the scene before her. She was so gobsmacked that she actually flinched a bit when one of them noticed her.

 

“You there! Do you know where we are?” Cassandra’s voice was so terrifyingly familiar, and Lu felt her head start to spin slowly as the Seeker turned to face her.

 

“Uhhhhh…” Lu could feel her mouth moving, could hear the noise coming from her throat, but she just couldn’t seem to remember how words worked.

 

“Are you alright?” Dorian asked, following Cassandra’s gaze. Obviously, what he saw concerned him, because the mage frowned deeply in her direction. She felt her jaw move, but nothing intelligible came out.

 

“I think we broke her.” Varric chuckled softly and took a step forward, raising his hand in greeting.

 

The movement seemed to shake Lu free, and she shook her head violently. “No. I refuse. Nope. Uh uh. Not possible.” She started to back up, crouching down to swipe blindly at the end of Bear’s leash as she retreated.

 

Bear, however, had a different idea. Wagging his tail in his more usual slow, friendly way, he pulled forward and free of Lu’s uncooperative fingers, wandering over to an armor-clad form towards the back of the crowd. He sat down and looked up at the woman, tongue lolling out the side of his grinning face.

 

“Look at you! Aren’t you a sweet pup?” The woman bent down and reached her hand out, and Lu paled when she saw the red smudge across the woman’s nose. Bear appeared unfazed by either the smudge or the impossibility of the woman’s presence, leaning forward to bump at her palm in a request for a scratch.

 

“Hawke, you can’t make friends with every dog you see.” Alistair chuckled softly and joined Hawke’s attentions to Bear’s ears, and suddenly Lu couldn’t feel her feet anymore. _So this is what shock feels like…_

 

“Shut your mouth and watch me.” The two of them bent over and cooing at her dog threatened to decimate the last grips she had on her sanity, and Lu forced herself to look away.

 

“Do you speak Common, miss?” The one person left that she hadn’t identified spoke to her, so she turned her attention in his direction. Of course, that had to be the Inquisitor. He was tall and human, with sandy hair and bright green eyes that very nearly matched the darker swirls in the mark on his palm. A friendly Trevelyan, then – with daggers strapped to his back.

 

“I, uh. Yes. Kinda. I think. Oh no.” She wiggled her fingers in a halfhearted wave just as her knees gave out, and her ass hit the ground with a soft thump.

 

“Maker! Are you alright?” Trevelyan moved towards her, but she waved him away. They were all looking at her with varying levels of concern, and her brain stuttered as it tried to process all the attention on her.

 

“I’m fine. Just…a little off kilter. You all are impossible, so I must be having some sort of hallucination.” She pressed her palm against her forehead, eyes flitting from face to face. “Was it something I ate?”

 

“Do you need a healer?” Hawke took a step forward, and Lu made a disgraceful meeping sound that instantly set her to blushing in embarrassment.

 

 _Dammit, Lu. Grown women don’t make those noises._ “No. I don’t know. Cheezits - gimme a minute.” She cradled her head in her hands, and the group stepped away to form a cluster in the clearing. She couldn’t clearly hear what they were saying, and that distance seemed to help her calm down. After a few moments, she stood up and brushed herself off yet again.

 

“Alright. Bear, heel.” The dog reluctantly returned to her side, and she gave him a scratch as he sat beside her. His presence bolstered her confidence. “You all appear to be one of three things: a figment of my over-stimulated mind, cosplayers in an insanely elaborate game in the middle of nowhere, or genuinely from another freaking world. Anyone have an idea?”

 

“Well, I’m certainly real – though I could understand the confusion. Beauty like this can be a bit unbelievable.” Dorian chuckled and turned towards her, and she felt her pulse flutter a little. The game had apparently managed to downplay his charm, and words that should have sounded grating and haughty instead came across as light and teasing.

 

“You certainly look real, Dorian, but I’m not sure I can trust that.” She smiled weakly, all caught up with having _conversations with Dorian!!!,_ then blanched when his expression hardened. The shift jolted her more harshly than she could have expected, and she could feel the group’s guard going up.

 

“I didn’t tell you my name. How do you know me?”

 

“Oh god, I’m so sorry. It’s…. a long story, and one you’re not gonna like. Or, possibly, you won’t believe it at all.” She clenched a fist at her side, then sighed and leveled her gaze at each of them in turn. “Alistair, Hawke, Varric, Dorian, Cassandra, and Inquisitor Trevelyan, I assume?” When they all just stared at her, she continued.

 

“Crud, this is awkward. Okay, so. This isn’t Thedas. You’re a long, long way from home, and here – well, you’re something like a fable. Characters in a story, you know? It’s popular, and a lot of people know who you are. You’re not supposed to be real, though.” She winced and looked down, and she could hear them shuffling around and whispering to each other.

 

“I know it’s strange, and you don’t really have a good reason to believe me yet, except I’m not dressed anything like you.” She motioned to her puffy purple coat and colorful sneakers, then looked up and gave them a weary smirk. “I can prove it to you, but I’m not entirely convinced yet that it’d be the best idea.”

 

“Dorian, is that possible? Could we have ended up in some other world?” Trevelyan eyed her carefully, then turned to the mage with a mildly panicked expression.

 

“I don’t know, honestly. Solas would be the one to ask, but he’s not here.” Dorian shrugged, looking incredibly discomfited at the idea. Lu couldn’t blame him, really.

 

“I think it’s worth a shot. We should go with her.” Varric piped up, and Hawke nodded behind him. Lu noted that he hadn’t appeared to have taken his eyes off of her since they first noticed her. “That is, unless you think you can do that all over again, your Inquisitorialness.”

 

Trevelyan grimaced, glancing to his palm. “Not likely. The mark is the quietest I’ve ever felt it, like it’s wrapped in a blanket. I don’t know how long it’ll be before I can use it again.”

 

“Well, I guess that would make sense. You’re a long, long way from the Fade here. It might affect the other mages, as well – I honestly don’t know.” Lu motioned to Dorian and Hawke, who had a staff in her hand. “Give it a shot? Try something small. Keep it subtle, though, because mages aren’t a thing here, and we don’t want to draw attention. That’s an explanation I am utterly unprepared to come up with.”

 

Hawke smirked and held out a hand to light a flame – and came up with a tiny little match-sized flicker, fading almost instantly into a puff of smoke. “Well, that’s less than ideal. I don’t feel low on mana, though – Sparkler?”

 

Dorian snapped his fingers and managed to pull up a slightly bigger flame, but it fizzled into a similarly disheartening ribbon of smoke. “Kaffas. I don’t feel low either, but I can’t _do_ anything. It’s just…. not there.”

 

“Well, stop trying until we figure something out. You’re likely not going to get to recover a damn thing here, so keep whatever you have in reserve.” Lu turned to Trevelyan, facing him full on. “If you can’t reopen the rift you came through, we will need to get you all out of sight. It’s pretty secluded up here, but we get a lot of hikers down these trails, and I have no idea how well I’ll be able to cover for you if anyone asks questions. Come back with me, and we’ll get you warm and you can make a game plan.”

 

Trevelyan narrowed his eyes at her, watching her carefully as he pondered. “Okay. It’s not great, but it’s something.” He waved at the group. “Follow – what’s your name, miss?”

 

“Shit! Sorry. I’m Tallulah Bronwyn. Lu, preferably.” She shrugged a shoulder, then turned back towards the path. “You guys are gonna wanna brace yourselves. You’re not in Kansas anymore.”

 

As the group moved to follow her, Trevelyan turned to Varric. “What’s a Kansas?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf


	2. Cabin in the Woods

They reached the cabin sooner than Lu would have preferred, because not one of them was ready to handle this. 

 

“Maker’s breath! What – is that a _carriage_? How do you attach the horses?” Cassandra frowned with suspicion at Lu’s station wagon in the driveway, and Lu stifled a chuckle.

 

“Something like that. It’s called a car. It doesn’t use horses, though. Everything we use is technological rather than arcane, because we don’t have magic. I need to warn you, though - you’re gonna see a lot of new, seemingly impossible things in here, and I promise I’ll try to explain as much as I can. Just… please try not to freak out, and don’t push any buttons?” Lu pleaded with them as she ushered them around the car and onto the porch, opening the door and motioning them all inside.

 

The cabin wasn’t exactly luxurious – it was actually more like one large room with a loft, but with the fireplace going and the fans slowly circulating the air around, it was actually quite cozy. _Now also cramped, with six guests milling around._ Lu made her way past the couch and towards the kitchen, waving an awkward hand towards the cushioned furniture. “Please, have a seat. I’ll make some tea.”

 

No one seemed inclined to listen to her suggestion, though. Alistair followed her into the kitchen area, eyes wide and grinning. He apparently understood kitchens, regardless of the technology involved. Cassandra had noted the snowshoes and plastic snow shovel by the door, and she hunched down to inspect them critically. Hawke had snagged Trevelyan when she discovered the bathroom, both of them talking over each other as they flushed the toilet and fiddled with the shower head. Lu shook her head at the delighted shriek and splashing noises, and made a note to go in there with a towel at some point.

 

Meanwhile, Varric and Dorian gravitated towards the bookshelves along the wall, frowning as they inspected the spines. While Dorian perused, Varric picked up her hardcover copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and turned in her direction as he flipped through it. “Lu, what language is this? I don’t recognize it.”

 

“That’s English, Varric. That’s what we’re speaking, believe it or not. Apparently, we speak the same language but we don’t write it.” She paused for a moment. “What are the chances that we would speak the same language in both places?” She nodded at Alistair and pointed him towards the pantry cabinet with a grin, then snagged the kettle and started filling it. He boggled at the twist tap on the sink for a moment, then shrugged and started rifling through the dry goods.

 

“Maker! I can’t fathom those odds, but I must agree – it makes things much easier.” Dorian peered over Varric’s shoulder for a moment, watching him flip through the pages, then turned back to the shelves.

 

Cassandra had moved away from the door, making a circuit of the large room. She stared blankly at the TV and game consoles, apparently perplexed by the blinking lights, and Lu was grateful that she’d turned everything off before heading outside. Flashing screens would have gone poorly right about then.

 

“There are many things here that I do not recognize, or that are somewhat familiar but much different from our world.” The Seeker’s voice was quiet, but even Lu could hear the underlying tension as she made her way through the cabin.

 

“Yeah, I figured. I’ll explain as much as I can while you’re here, I promise.” She turned to the stove with the kettle in her hand and nearly dropped it when she bumped into Hawke standing behind her, slightly damp and grinning. “Holy – Dammit, Hawke. You’re quiet.”

 

“Sorry. What’s that big metal box?” _Definitely not sorry, with that smirk._ She pointed to the fridge, and Lu smiled.

 

“It’s called a refrigerator. Keeps food cold. The top bit keeps food frozen. Go ahead – open it up! The bottom part is where I keep the cheese.” She slipped behind the mage to get to the stove, and chuckled under her breath when she heard the cabinet door close and Alistair make his way to Hawke’s side.

 

“We must investigate these rumors of cheese, Hawke. If there is any cheese to rescue from that cold box, we must offer our assistance!” There was something surreal about watching her favorite character cracking jokes and poking around her kitchen. She reveled in it, flushing slightly as he tossed her a grin that made her pulse flutter – and then it twisted into a cold lump of dread in her stomach. She remembered just what they were doing when they came through.

 

 _Oh. Oh no._ She rested a hand on the counter, taking a few stabilizing breaths, then turned to face the six figures milling about her cabin.

 

“I think we all need to talk.”

 

***

 

She was in no state to cook, so she decided to introduce the crew to pizza delivery. They watched in fascination as she spoke into the small glowing rectangle in her hand, ordering food that sounded vaguely familiar and then rattling off a long string of numbers from a little card in her hand.

 

“Food will be here soon, so let’s get comfy. And also, maybe a little drunk.” Lu shuffled over to the cabinet in the corner of the dining nook, pulling out three bottles of liquor.

 

“Is that the best idea? We may need our wits about us if we are to return.” Cassandra let her protest drop when she saw Lu’s shoulders hunch a little.

 

“It’s definitely the best idea, and by the wince on Trevelyan’s face I think you’ll likely be stuck here at least for the night. In the meantime, there are some incredibly unpleasant things that I think we need to discuss. They’ll probably go down better with booze.” She placed the bottles on the table, then moved to the kitchen to get glasses. “Whisky, gin, or vodka?”

 

Lu fumbled the glasses in trembling fingers, and Trevelyan was at her side in an instant to help her carry. “Thank you, uh –“

 

“Maxwell, my lady.” He smiled at her, and her heart sank even more.

 

“Maxwell. And I’m not a lady – just Lu. Bring them over here, and we’ll start with some generous pours.”

 

Within a few moments, they all had drinks and had settled themselves across the living room area. Lu stood by the fireplace, fidgeting as they all turned their attention to her.

 

“Alright. So, there isn’t really a safe way to say these things, so I’m gonna apologize in advance.” She took a long swig of whiskey from her glass and winced at the burn, then cleared her throat to continue. “I told you that you were all part of a story here. If everything matches like I think it does, I know what’s next.”

 

No one said anything, and she stared at the swirling liquid in her glass as she tried to cobble her thoughts together.

 

“You were at Adamant Fortress. Warden Commander Clarel just died, and the stone beneath you crumbled. Max opened a rift to try and save everyone. Am I solid so far?” They all nodded, and she sighed deeply. “You were supposed to end up in the Fade. Chances are that’s where you’ll end up next instead of going straight back home. This was an unexpected detour, though. This isn’t in the story I know.”

 

“Wait – in the Fade? _Physically_ in the Fade?” Dorian looked slightly green, and Lu nodded slowly.

 

“Physically in the Fade. While you’re there, Max will get back his memories from the Conclave. They’re currently in the custody of a Nightmare demon that’s been trying to push through. I believe it was supposed to be bound to Clarel, but that’s not happening now.”

 

“Shit.” Varric looked pale, and Alistair and Hawke weren’t looking much better. _I guess trauma looks the same on Thedas._ She tapped her nails against her glass, trying to ignore the cold lump in her gut.

 

“It gets worse. You can seal the rift and keep the Nightmare demon from coming through, but according to the story...” Lu faltered, staring at the floor and clearing her throat. “You have to leave someone behind to do it.”  


Someone started to speak, but the wince on Lu’s face brought it to a halt. “I know it’s a lot, and it probably sounds crazy. Everything else seems to fit so far, and I have no reason to think that this will break pattern. I completely believe that this is preventable, though. I don’t think you have to leave someone behind – especially if you can plan ahead.” She coughed, raising her head to scan their faces. “I’m doing a potentially really stupid thing and telling you your future. If you’ll let me, I’d like to help.”

 

“Maker’s breath.” Alistair’s voice made her wince even more, and she could feel the weight of his gaze on her. “Who was it going to be?”

  
“I don’t think- “

 

“No, he’s right. We need to know so that if things don’t go according to plan, we can at least keep things on track.” Max’s face shuttered, and Lu couldn’t bear to look at any of them anymore.

 

“Alistair or Hawke.”

 

“Fuck. Well, that’s a downer.” Hawke snorted, then stood up and made her way back to the table to snag the bottle of whisky. She paused for a moment, then grabbed the gin as well and brought them both back.

 

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how long you’ll be here, and that was important for you to know because it’s pretty immediate. There was probably a better way to tell you, though, so I’m sorry.” Lu groaned and downed the last of the booze in her glass. “I’m working on ideas that could help you catch the demon off guard. I don’t actually know if it dies, but it’s no longer in play afterwards. Basically, you just need to get everyone past it.” She ran a hand through her short hair, gently tugging in an attempt to soothe the emerging headache.

 

“Okay. Well, we can work with that.” Max again, and she noted the quiet way he’d filled his leadership role. He had figured out how to calmly wield the weight of his authority, and she found herself relaxing just a bit as he mulled things over. It was surreal how easily she found herself believing he’d just know what to do, especially after all the times she’d played at Inquisitor herself. _This isn’t a game, Lu. This is his actual life, and he’s a real person._

  
The room went quiet for several minutes as everyone retreated into their own thoughts, limited to the regular clink and splash of pouring liquid. When the doorbell rang, everyone jumped.

 

“It’s okay! It’s just the pizza guy. I’ll get it – you all just stay here.” Lu sat her glass down next to the booze Hawke had brought over, then fumbled her way to the door. Her limbs didn’t want to work properly, but it wasn’t from the booze yet.

 

Returning a few moments later, she dropped the stack of pizza boxes on the counter. Six pairs of eyes peered at her with guarded expressions, and she suddenly wondered if six pizzas had been complete overkill or not enough. _Or maybe they’re not hungry now that you’ve freaked them out. Idiot._

 

“Come on over, if you like. This is pizza, and it’s delicious.” She started spreading the boxes out, opening them up and smiling lightly in an attempt to break the tension. “I got a variety, so please try whatever you like.”

 

It worked. Alistair was first in line, but they all moved pretty quickly after him. Even the Seeker, who Lu had thought would be more restrained and formal, looked a little bit excited when she caught the scent.

 

Lu pulled out a stack of plates and set them on the counter, then leaned back to watch them dig in. _While they’re here, they’re mine. I will take care of them, and I will send them home with every advantage I can give them._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf


	3. Pizza and Awkwardness

Six pizzas had definitely not been enough, so she ended up putting in an order for three more.

 

Dorian crowed with delight when he discovered the Hawaiian pizza. Apparently Thedas had pineapple, but it was difficult to get outside Seheron so he’d only had it a few times. That pizza went first and was the biggest hit, so two of the additional pizzas were Hawaiian. The third was another plain cheese pie, “with all the extra cheese you can put on it, thank you” as per Alistair’s request. _Some things were definitely not exaggerated in game, I guess._

 

Apparently the food had been a much needed break, because the group had chatted amiably throughout the meal. The mood wasn’t exactly light, but this group was nothing if not accustomed to making the best of a bad situation.

 

She’d shown them the bathroom and shower setup, with assistance from an enthusiastic Hawke and her deft wielding of the handheld shower head, and they were taking turns getting cleaned up. Cassandra and Trevelyan had already showered, and were picking through her closet to find clothing for themselves and the rest of the group. It was unlikely that she’d have anything for some of them, but it was worth a shot – and they needed things to wear if she wanted to launder the stuff they had on when they showed up. Sleeping in demon guts and Warden blood was less than ideal.

 

While Alistair took his turn in the shower and Dorian volubly pestered Cass and Max about their choices, Hawke made her way over to sit next to Lu, offering a crooked smile in greeting. “Sorry we’ve invaded your house.”

 

“Oh no! Don’t worry about it. It’s, ah, it’s actually nice to have you all here. It’s cozy.” Lu scooted a little to make more room on the bench along the wall, and Hawke settled in. “All of you are welcome to stay as long as you need, though I can imagine there’s a bit of a time crunch.”

 

“Something like that.” Hawke smiled, and the surge of fangirl _squeeee_ bubbled in the back of Lu's throat before she swallowed it. “Can I ask you a question?”

 

“Sure! I’ll do my best to answer.”

 

“How do you know one of us is going to die, but not know who?”

 

Lu grimaced and shook her head. “It’s really hard to explain. The story is… flexible. Changeable, in some ways. It all depends on the Inquisitor’s choices, and those change according to who’s telling the story, I guess.” She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “There were other stories, too. The fifth blight, following the other Warden. And Kirkwall. Following you.”

 

Hawke narrowed her eyes and frowned. “So you know what happened there?”

 

Lu shrugged. “Only somewhat. I know the basic framework, but I don’t know what decisions you made. I know that there’s a conflict with the Arishok, but I don’t know how it resolved. I don’t know how you handled Anders and the Chantry explosion.”

 

Hawke looked down at the floor, apparently trying to absorb everything that Lu was telling her. “And the wardens?”

 

“I don’t know who the Warden was, but I know about Kinloch Hold. I know about the Dalish in the Brecilian forest. I know about Redcliffe, but I don’t know if Connor survived. I don’t know who killed the Archdemon. I don’t know who took the throne.”

 

Hawke listened quietly, her face uncomfortably blank, then nodded and stood up. “I’m sure we’ll all end up with questions, but I think that’s it for now. Thanks, Lu.”

 

“Anytime, Hawke. I’m sorry I don’t have any better answers.” Lu watched as she walked away, feeling like she’d failed Hawke in a way she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

 

***

 

It was well past dark when everyone had finished getting cleaned up and the additional pizzas were polished off. They’d scrounged up clothes for everyone but Trevelyan and Alistair, both of whom were just too big for anything she had. She was surprised they'd gotten that much, and it didn’t all exactly _fit,_ but it got the job done. The grey Star Wars t-shirt that Dorian was wearing was well and truly on the snug side, and Trevelyan made a concerted, visible effort to not appreciate it too much. _Well, that’s good to know._

 

Varric had snagged one of her hoodies, and something told her she wouldn’t be getting it back. Hawke had swiped her bright, floral print summer robe, and it looked so much better on the mage than it ever had on Lu – even with the clashing pink sweatpants she’d put on underneath it. Cassandra had taken her warmer blue robe, and was curled up and dozing in the corner of the couch. It was surreal to see everyone lounging in her living room in her sweats and pajamas, and it gave her a strange little warm feeling in her chest.

 

Max had confessed to not feeling anything at all from the mark since they showed up, and everyone was showing some concern. There wasn’t much they could do immediately, though, so they’d started settling in for the night.

 

“I don’t think there are enough places for everyone down here, so I can fit some people upstairs. My bed is big enough to fit two, and there’s another small sofa up there. If they’re okay with sharing, I think Max and Alistair should take the bed, because they’re the tallest and don’t fit on the couches. There’s also this couch, the love seat, and the chair there. That’s six spots, and I can snag my sleeping bag.”

 

“I’m sure we can make do, Lu. You don’t have to give up your own bed for us.”

 

“Varric, I’m not okay with people sleeping on my floor when there are other options. Plus, you all should be as rested as possible whenever you end up going back, and since we don’t know when that will be, that starts tonight.”

 

“Lu –“

 

“No. Shush.” She waved Varric away with a grin, then moved to the closet to start pulling out additional blankets. “Tomorrow I need to go get more food and other supplies, and if there’s still an issue we can get some mattresses or camp cots to give us some more options. Till then, this is what’s happening.”

 

Varric shook his head and wandered away, apparently not willing to push the issue any further. The rest of the group thankfully seemed to take that as a final decision, and no one else spoke up.

 

She tossed blankets to everyone in turn, then led Alistair, Max, and Dorian upstairs to show them the loft. It wasn’t exactly a room – just a large additional space with her bed, sofa, and a small desk near the window. Her laptop sat open but dark in the middle of the desk, with a couple of notebooks and a variety of knickknacks and cups of pens scattered around it.

 

Of course, Dorian went to investigate while Lu got clean sheets for the bed. Surprisingly, Max was right on his heels, and Lu chuckled softly as she watched them poke through the scattered items. When Max dropped her teddy bear stress ball on the laptop’s keyboard and woke up the screen, they both shrieked a little and jumped back.

 

“Serves you right for snooping, boys. It won’t hurt you, though. Also, now I'm really glad you can’t read English, what with all your poking around.” She laughed outright as they turned back to her, looking only mildly sheepish, and Alistair laughed as well from beside her. So quiet for such a large man, he’d stepped over to help her tug the old sheets off and she hadn’t even heard him.

 

“What does it do?” Dorian moved away from the desk a bit, but he kept flicking his gaze back to the glowing screen.

 

“It’s something called a computer. It does….a lot of things, really. I use it to write, and I do my job from there. It’s connected to a network of other computers, and people can communicate with each other, share information, listen to music, or watch movies or shows – plays, I guess, that are recorded and able to be watched through there whenever we like.” She waved a grinning and besheeted Alistair out of the way, then stretched the wrinkled fitted sheet across the mattress with a wince. She had literally never successfully folded a fitted sheet, so they always ended up in a half-wadded pile in her closet.

 

Dorian moved back to the computer and was poking at it, eyes wide and gleaming. “How is that possible?”

 

“It’s complicated, and I don’t know all the fine details to explain it well. We can look it up later if you like, and I can show you how electricity and data communication works.” Lu quickly draped the top sheet and comforter back on the bed, then gently placed a hand on Dorian’s arm and tugged him away. “It’s password protected, so you’re not likely to get anywhere with it right now, especially since you don’t know how to spell anything.”

 

“Fair enough. But I will hold you to that promise, Lu! I must know more about this thing.”

 

“I know, Dorian. You and Varric will love this. You can access more information than you could store in a hundred libraries, and Varric can find all manner of stories and inspiration for his own books. If I could send one back with you, I would. I don’t think it would work there, though. No electricity – at least, not in the measured quantity you need. And no internet.”

 

He brushed a hand along the edge of the screen almost reverently, sighing softly. “You are likely correct. Such a shame.”

 

“I know. I promise to help you use it while you’re here, though.” She nudged him away and closed the lid, then motioned towards the bed and couch where Alistair and Max were poking around and whispering quietly. “Get some rest, boys.”

 

“Thank you, Lu. Your hospitality goes well beyond any expectations, and we are all unspeakably grateful.” Dorian reached over and squeezed her hand, and Lu blushed a little.

 

“Agreed. If there is anything we can do to repay you while we are here, please do not hesitate to ask.” Max piped up from his seat on the corner of the bed, and Alistair nodded from the couch. _How generous of you, Alibear. SHIT. Don’t call him that._

 

She arched a brow, then smirked and swiped the discarded linens on her way back down the stairs.

 

***

 

Downstairs, the crew had mostly settled in. Varric was fast asleep on the love seat, Hawke was not far behind in the chair, and Cassandra was sitting in the middle seat of the couch looking lost in thought. Lu wandered over to sit next to her, and the Seeker shook her head a bit and offered a weak smile.

 

“Everything okay, Cassandra? Can I get you anything?”

 

“No, thank you. I have to admit, though - I am overwhelmed by your world, Lu. Everywhere I look in this room are things I do not understand, and I cannot relax. I feel like I should keep watch.” She grimaced and turned her face down, and Lu shifted to face her a bit better.

 

“You can’t settle because you don’t know what these things are. I understand, and I’m sorry. I wish I could offer a better option – unless you would like to go kick Alistair off the couch upstairs. That may be more comfortable for you, so long as you don’t mind sleeping next to Max and Dorian in my bed.” Lu smirked, and Cassandra chuckled softly.

 

“I would not like to impose, but the thought does appeal.” She rubbed her hands together, and Lu was struck by how uncomfortable the Seeker really looked.

 

“Well, would it help if we discussed everything? We can go around the house and I can tell you what everything does. By the time I’m done rambling, you’re likely to fall asleep out of sheer boredom.” At that, Cassandra turned to face Lu fully with a grateful smile.

 

“Yes, I think that would help quite a bit.”

 

“Then that’s what we will do! And then tomorrow, you can help me explain things to everyone else.” Lu nodded, and the smiling Seeker mirrored the motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf


	4. Housekeeping!

By the time they’d made it all the way around the great room, it was nearly midnight. Everyone else was fast asleep, and soft snoring echoed from multiple locations. Cassandra seemed much more relaxed, and Lu had left her with her cell phone to fiddle with until she got drowsy. There had been explicit instructions on phone calls and how to avoid making them, but Lu needn’t have worried. Cass had found a match 3 game and was instantly engrossed.

 

Lu felt that warm tug at her chest again as she watched the Seeker’s normally stern expression melt away into delight, lit by the dim glow of the phone in her hands. She didn’t know how long she’d have with them, but she was determined to show them as many good and fun things as she could while they were here. She couldn’t think of a group more deserving of a break.

 

With that thought, inspiration struck and she snuck upstairs to snag her laptop. Lists would need to be made, and she didn’t want to forget anything.

 

***

 

They found her the next morning seated against the wall by the fireplace, computer open on her lap, snoring quietly with her head tilted back against the wall. She woke to soft chuckling, and her first sight of the day was Varric and Hawke bending over her, the dwarf nudging her foot with his own.

 

“Rise and shine, Lulu.”

 

“Mmfn? Oh. Morning.” She blinked and looked around, and found everyone else sitting around the table. Cassandra had apparently already made tea, and they were sipping and discussing the electric kettle with a muted excitement.

 

“I told them to let you sleep, but they wouldn’t listen.” Cassandra sounded amused, and Lu really couldn’t blame her.

 

“It’s alright. I should get up anyways.” She laughed a little, then winced as she tilted her neck forward. “I could also do with a hot shower. After that, we can look into breakfast.”

 

Hawke offered her a hand up, which she took gratefully. She put the laptop on the coffee table, then shuffled towards the stairs to get some fresh clothes.

 

After a quick shower and change, she came back out to find all six of her guests crowded around the TV, watching some banal morning talk show. They were fascinated by the device, cackling at the lame jokes and ogling the food that the special guest was helping the hosts to stumble through.

 

“Having a good time?” She snagged a cup of tea, then moved over to lean on the couch behind Max and Dorian.

 

“This is amazing. What are they making? It looks positively sinful.” Dorian was leaning forward, eyeing the confection coming together on the screen.

 

“Black forest cheesecake bars, it looks like. Cheesecake with chocolate, cherries, and whipped cream, and what looks like a cookie crust. Why, does that look good?” She nudged his shoulder, and he nodded vigorously. “Well, we can get the stuff to make them when we go shopping today. We need to stock up on food, toiletries, and you all need clothes. Who wants to come with me?”

 

“Well, I simply must come along, if only to ensure that our party is dressed appropriately.” Dorian stood up and grinned, and Lu nodded.

 

“I’ll go. With all of that, you may need help carrying things. Also, food is definitely something I’m interested in.” Alistair stood up as well, and Lu’s stomach did a little flip when he smiled at her. _Nope. Don’t do that, Lu. Off limits, remember?_

 

“That sounds great! You two, dig in the closet to see if there’s anything warm enough for you in there. You can’t wear armor into town here, so we need to keep you toasty until we can get you your own coats.

 

“As for everyone else…. Feel free to eat what you find in the pantry or open in the fridge. If it’s in a sealed package in the fridge it may need to be cooked before you can eat it, and since no one can read the instructions, I would advise against that. The TV is fair game, as long as you don’t fight over it too much. If you do go outside, try to keep to the cabin area because you don’t want to stumble into a conversation with a stranger on the trails with no backup. Cass, don’t let them break my computer.” Lu rummaged around in the cabinet and came up with a handful of granola bars, a couple apples, and a few bottles of water. She snagged them all and dumped them in her bag for breakfast on the way to the store.

 

She waved the Seeker over and pulled out another cell phone – an old Nokia brick that she’d had for more years than she cared to talk about. “This is my emergency phone. If you have a problem, call me – dial these numbers, then hit the green button.” She held the phone up to her ear, then nodded and handed it over. “It will make some ringing noises, and then I should pick up. Hold it like I just did, and you should be able to hear my voice, and I’ll hear what you say. When you’re done, hit the red button. If I don’t answer, hit the red button, wait a moment, and then repeat those first instructions.”

 

“It’s a strange sort of sending crystal – ours don’t have buttons.” Dorian peered over her shoulder at the phone, and Lu was reminded just how tall all of them really were, save Varric – though even he was taller than she expected. Apparently Thedosians were just…. Bigger.

 

“It’s the same basic idea, but it doesn’t use magic. Just science. You got that, Cass?”

 

“It seems simple enough. You are putting me in charge and not the Inquisitor?” She frowned a little, and Lu grinned as she jotted down the number on a scrap of paper.

 

“He’s too busy with the TV to pay attention right now, and he can’t even work the remote. Besides – you know more about anything else in this house than the rest of them combined at this point. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with the care of my house with Varric in it.”

 

“I heard that, Lulu.” Varric turned around from his seat on the couch, putting on an exaggerated frown. “I’m hurt that you think so little of me.”

 

“Just wanted to see how much attention you were paying. I expect that I’ll show up in one of your books, and I need to know how much you can hear.” She turned her grin on him, and he burst into laughter.

 

“You got me there. I can’t argue!”

 

“He hears everything, Lu. Don’t say anything ever. Don’t do anything. He’s always there, like a fungus, or an ingrown toenail.” Hawke jabbed her finger into Varric’s side, and he made an undignified yelp. Max laughed as Varric flapped an arm at Hawke in retaliation, the mage leaning into Max’s lap to escape Dwarven retribution.

 

“You have your work cut out for you, Seeker.” Lu chuckled again, then leaned over conspiratorially. “There’s a spray bottle of water under the bathroom sink. It’s small, green plastic that you can see through. Just point the narrow end at them and squeeze the trigger, and don’t point it at the TV. I used it to run my cat off the counters.”

 

Cass was still laughing when Lu led Alistair and Dorian to the car.

 

***

 

She opened the doors and motioned for them to get in. Dorian took the front seat, and Alistair slid in the back and leaned forward between them.

 

“Okay, so this is likely going to be louder than you expect. There’s a thing called a combustion engine up there, and that’s how the car moves. Also, there’s a radio here – it’s going to play some music when I turn this on. So, ah, don’t freak out. Okay?”

 

She turned the key, and the old engine roared to life. Both men jumped a little even despite her warning, and she chuckled.

 

The radio was a smidge too loud – that always happened when she drove late at night, because she cranked it up to stay awake. The smooth strains of Toto’s “Africa” assaulted the two woefully unprepared Thedosians, and they both winced until she turned it down a bit.

 

“Sorry! I forgot how loud it was. Turning it down!”

 

“Andraste’s tits!” Dorian was rubbing an ear and grumbling in Tevene, and Lu felt a little bad for assaulting his eardrums.

 

Alistair, however, leaned forward and beamed at her. “That’s music here?”

 

“Some of it, yeah. There are so many different kinds – there’s no way I could show it all to you. Please, feel free to explore. Just push those buttons there to change the station.”

 

Dorian looked dubious, but Alistair nudged at his shoulder. “Come ooonnnnnn. I can’t reach it, Dorian.”

 

As they investigated the music, she guided the car forwards and down the long, slightly winding driveway. They paused for a brief moment to look around, slightly discomfited, but otherwise accepting of the movement.

 

“Well, if you want to play with it so badly, maybe you should sit here!”

 

“Dooooriaaaaaaan. We’re already moving. Just push the button.”

 

“It’s noise, dear Alistair.”

 

“But everything is noise! This is just pretty noise, and I want to hear new kinds of pretty noise.”

 

Lu laughed as they bickered, then brought the station wagon to a halt at the road. “Guys? We’re gonna go fast now, okay?”

 

“Yes, yes. Fine. Alistair, we must show you the wonders of good music. When we return, I will take you to see-“

 

She arched a brow, letting both of them poke at each other for another moment, then took the turn out onto the road a little more quickly than she usually would.

 

“Guys. It’s okay. We’re okay. Just calm down.” Lu was proud of her composure – the noise they made at the turn was utterly priceless, and she’d mostly succeeded in not cackling at their shock.

 

“Maker, Lu! Why are we going so fast?” Dorian was clutching at the dashboard, and she bit her lip to stifle another giggle.

 

“I told you we were going faster. You didn’t seem concerned. Besides – we’re only going about thirty-five. When we get to the highway, it’ll be more like seventy.”

 

“Thirty-five whats?” Alistair was clinging to the handle on the door – not the latch handle, though, and Lu was grateful for that.

 

“Miles per hour.”

 

They both stared at her.

 

“I don’t really know how that translates into distances where you’re from. Here, average walking speed is about 3 miles an hour. If you walk for a full 8 hours, that puts you at about 24 miles. This car will cover that in probably about 45 minutes at the current rate.”

 

“Kaffas. That’s impossible.”

 

“Not at all! The wonders of the combustion engine.” Lu grinned at them, winding the car down the mountain. “And like I said – we’re gonna about double this in a bit. It’s too bad that it’s so cold – it’s so nice to ride with the windows down around here. It’s a good breeze!”

 

Alistair made a noise in the back of his throat that Lu couldn’t entirely identify, so she looked back at him through the rear-view mirror. His face was a confused mix of terrified and excited, and her stomach flipped again. When he met her gaze in the mirror, his expression cleared and he grinned madly at her.

 

“Faster than this. Maker, that’s almost obscene. You could go anywhere.” His voice was soft, and she turned down the radio to hear him better.

 

“Well, that’s almost true. We need roads for these cars – they don’t do well on rough terrain as a general rule. This car wouldn’t make it down the mountain without the road here. Fortunately, we’ve had plenty of time to make decent roads just about everywhere we need them.”

 

“That’s incredible, Lu.” Dorian was watching the scenery as it blew past, and it looked like he was coming to terms with their speed.

 

“It is. This world is full of small miracles that we all take for granted. It’s not better than yours, though – just very different. No magic here, remember? We had to make do with other things.”

 

“If this is making do, I can’t imagine what else there is.”

 

“Dorian, my love, my darling – just you wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf


	5. Pop Some Tags

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've been trying to put this aside so I could work on another project for NaNoWriMo, but I just cannot let this lie. I'm going to put that word count into this story instead, because I really need to keep following Lu down this rabbit hole. Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think!

They _loved_ the highway.

 

Alistair whooped in the backseat, waving at all the other cars as they drove past. Dorian was busy looking at all the other vehicles, asking endless questions about why they were so different.

 

The first semi-truck utterly fascinated him as they passed it. That was a surprise, and Lu happily showed the mage how to make the horn honk gesture. He did, and positively squealed with delight when the trucker smiled at him and honked.

 

It wasn’t really a long trip into town – usually less than 45 minutes. They made good time through the light traffic, and before they realized it they were pulling off the highway.

 

“So, I figured we’d start at the thrift store. I can’t afford to buy everyone brand new clothing, and there’s a great secondhand shop down here. What we can’t find there, we’ll get new. Then we’ll hit up Costco for bulk foods and other supplies. We’re likely to come back with a full load of stuff, so we have our work cut out.”

 

“You know, you really don’t have to buy us clothes.” Alistair had his face pressed against the window as they made their way through traffic. He made a delighted noise at a woman walking a rather large white dog, and Lu had to bite her lip to keep her commentary to herself.

 

 Instead, she replied, “I have no idea how long you all will be around, and you can’t wear armor all the time. You need to be able to relax, and I need to wash the stuff you showed up in. Plus, I have to say that I’m beyond excited to shop with Dorian.”

 

“Of course you are, Lu. I dress impeccably.” Dorian grinned, and Lu nodded her agreement.

 

“I know, darling. I’m afraid things are going to look a bit different here, though. You have a challenge ahead of you.”

 

“And I will meet it. We simply cannot have Hawke prancing around in those pink monstrosities anymore.”

 

“Are you judging my Juicy sweatpants, Dorian?”

 

“Yes. Yes, I am. I am just grateful that you had something less horrid that fit me.” He peered down at the track pants – in a tasteful dark gray, thank you – and the rather form-fitting black t-shirt.

 

“Stretchy fabrics for the win, man. Hey Alistair – are you excited to get some Earth clothes?”

 

He leaned forward and grinned between the two of them. “Of course. I want one of those hoobies that Varric got.”

 

“Well, then, a hoobie you will get. And jeans. Boy, you need some jeans.” She looked over and smiled back at him, waggling an eyebrow. She instantly regretted it when his blush made its appearance, and she felt herself warm in response. _Dammit._ She returned her gaze to the road and tried to focus.

 

When she next ventured a peek to the side, Dorian was watching her with just the hint of a smirk on his face.

 

_Fuuuuuck._

 

***

 

When Dorian wasn’t throwing meaningful looks in her direction, he was actually a whole lot of fun. Lu had been slightly afraid that he’d turn his nose at pre-owned clothing, but he dove right in to the racks without hesitation. He had an incredible eye, and found things that Lu had completely missed.

 

He wasn’t fantastic at judging sizes, though, and the three of them spent more time lightly bickering over what would fit whom than just about anything else.

 

Since he was present, Alistair got to choose several of his own pieces, and they quickly shooed him off to the dressing room to try things on. Lu was pretty sure he would be able to figure out zippers, so she felt okay to pull out of the way and start sorting the growing pile that Dorian was making in the cart.

 

“Is there something I should know, Lu?” She hadn’t even heard Dorian creep up beside her, and the undignified squeak of surprise made him chuckle.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dorian dear.” The door to the dressing room creaked open, and Lu choked when Alistair stepped out in a pair of fitted dark-wash jeans and a navy colored t-shirt.

 

“Of course not.” She could hear the smirk in his voice as he nudged her shoulder, and Lu threw Alistair a big grin and thumbs up. He beamed back at her and nodded, then stepped back into the dressing room.

 

“Not a word, Dorian. You guys aren’t staying, so there’s nothing to be done about it.” She turned to focus on the shirt in her hand, and he rested a hand on her shoulder. When he turned her to face him, he frowned at the expression he found there.

 

“You know more, don’t you?”

 

“I know so much more. I know him better than anyone has a right to know someone they’ve never met, so it’s not only impossible, but also so _very_ inappropriate.” She leaned into the gentle squeeze on her shoulder, then sighed and tossed the shirt in the keep pile.

 

“Maybe you should talk to him before making such sweeping statements, Lulu.”

 

“Maybe. Let’s see if you guys stick around for more than two days, though. We can revisit this then.”

 

He turned her back around towards the cart, tupping her chin gently with his knuckle. “I’ll hold you to that, dear.”

 

“I know you, too – though not as well as Alistair, to be fair.” She turned her head back towards him and gave him a weak smile. He scoffed, then narrowed his eyes slightly at her.

 

“I can’t tell if you’re trying to be creepy or make me feel better. Either way, it worked.”

 

She laughed, then looked up as Alistair shuffled back out of the dressing room. When she saw him, her jaw dropped and she felt her fingers start to tingle a little. This time it was Dorian that made the choked noise, and Lu nudged at him with her elbow.

 

“I think I like it! What do you think?” Somewhere in the racks he’d come up with a three-piece suit – a deep charcoal gray, with a dark green pocket square still in the jacket. He’d put another t-shirt on underneath it all, this one a faded grayish white. It looked positively sinful, and Lu spent a moment memorizing the sight of him buttoning it all up.

 

Dorian nodded approvingly and moved to circle him while Alistair fidgeted. He tugged and adjusted, spinning him around a bit to really catch all the angles. Lu, for her part, tried to focus on breathing.

 

“Oh, you look wonderful, dear! Quite the picture you cut, young man.” A tiny woman with steel-colored hair and a walker shuffled towards them, and Alistair turned to greet her with a wide grin.

 

“Ah, thank you! Thank you very much, my lady.” He gave her a little bow, and Lu had to bite her lip to keep quiet.

 

“My lady! Oh, what a gentleman you are. You and your boyfriend here make a darling couple, you know. So good to see young love.” She reached out to pat Alistair’s arm, then shuffled along on her way with both men blinking owlishly at her.

 

When they looked back to find her, Lu had hidden herself in a rack of coats, her shoulders shaking violently as she tried to stifle her giggles.

 

***

 

Two hours after they went in, the trio emerged with a cart piled high with bags and big grins on their faces. Alistair had gotten the suit, as well as the promised “hoobie” in a navy blue and the jeans he’d tried on. Dorian had found a delicious red leather jacket that he’d worn out of the store, as well as a pair of black trousers that he fell in love with and some button up shirts. They’d also scrounged up at least two outfits and a warm coat for each other person in the group, and were basically riding on a shopping high.

 

Alistair tried to get in the back seat after they’d loaded up, but Dorian loudly proclaimed his exhaustion and said that he wanted to stretch out for a few moments in the back. Lu kicked his ankle a bit as she slipped past him, but Dorian seemed utterly unperturbed.

 

Lu made sure they were both settled and buckled – “Yes, Dorian, you must wear your seat belt” – then turned them towards the Costco a couple of miles away.

 

Alistair had worn the jeans out of the store, as well as a brown leather jacket he’d come up with. It had a higher neck, lined with shearling wool, and she couldn’t help but notice the parallel with his royal garb. There was no way that this Alistair would have known what his royal self would have worn, so it had to be something he genuinely liked.

 

“How was your first thrifting experience, Alistair?” Lu tried to keep her voice even, turning to give him a grin. He returned it, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

 

“It was fun. Intense, but I like these clothes. They’re comfortable.” He was looking down at his hands, twiddling his fingers in his lap.

 

“Is everything okay?” She reached over to hold his hand, then stopped. “We can take a break, if you like. Before we go get the food, I mean. Dorian apparently needs a nap.”

 

He looked at her hand for a moment, and she flexed her fingers a bit as she started to withdraw it. He caught it before she could put it back on the wheel, though, and gave her fingers a light squeeze.

 

“It’s okay, Lu. Everything’s fine.” Another squeeze, and he pulled his hand back.

 

She could see Dorian peering at them in her rear-view mirror, but thankfully he didn’t say anything.

 

***

 

Getting to Costco had been a quiet trip for the most part, with Alistair lost in thought and Dorian feigning sleep as they wove through traffic. Lu left the radio turned down, since the trip wasn’t very long, and they all seemed to need a little bit of quiet.

 

Both men were slightly more subdued when they got out of the car in the parking lot, staring at the huge building. Lu led them towards the doors, speaking just loud enough for them to hear her over the bustle of carts and other conversation around them.

 

“This one is going to be louder and bigger, and probably more crowded. Stick close, because asking for directions will be a challenge – they’re going to direct you to a sign, and you can’t read them. If we do get separated, just head back towards the front here and we’ll catch up. You guys ready?”

 

They both nodded, looking both apprehensive and excited in about equal measures. Lu gave them an encouraging nod and a smile, then led them through the automatic doors.

 

It was a cacophony – people talking, background music, the crash of carts, the beeping of cashiers all clamoring in a way that seemed to overwhelm the two Thedosians for a moment. They both seemed to crowd closer to her, looking suspiciously at the bustling crowd inside the door. She grabbed them by the hands and led them through the mass, breaking into the wider, less crowded aisles of merchandise.

 

They both looked more comfortable outside of the crowd, and she made a note to keep them out of it as much as possible. She hadn’t even thought about bringing them out somewhere like this unarmed – they were both accustomed to having at least a dagger or something on hand, and they had to feel somewhat naked out here without a weapon. _Stupid mistakes, Lu._

 

They made their way to the sporting goods section, perusing the camping equipment. There were several items that they thought would likely be useful on their travels, and if they were small enough to reasonably pack for the battle ahead, Lu put them in the cart. She knew they had to be cautious about how much they took back with them, so she kept it to a minimum – waterproofing sprays for their tents, carabiners and hefty rope, lighters for when they didn’t have a mage around. She also picked up a couple of cots, because it wasn’t a bad idea to keep them on hand for any other guests she had.

 

They were making their way across the store to the grocery section when Dorian made a noise that Lu had never heard before. She turned, and her stomach sank when she saw the game packaging in his hand.

 

“Lu, that’s a rift. What is this?” He flipped the case over and nearly dropped it. Alistair move over to peer over his shoulder, and his face went pale.

 

“Fuck. Remember how I told you that your world is a story? Well, that’s how we learn it. It’s a…  a game.”

 

Dorian whirled on her, and she lowered her eyes. She could feel him staring at her, though, and she turned her face to meet his gaze.

 

“I cannot imagine what you think of us. We treat your world like a fantasy, a diversion to escape our daily grind. I did, because it was a chance to have a great adventure instead of wallowing in mediocrity every day. I didn’t know. I couldn’t know, but I’m sorry anyways.”

 

She turned to Alistair, and the wounded look on his face made her nauseous. “This story is about Trevelyan – or, really, any number of people who could have gotten the mark. The story before that was about Hawke – the same idea applies. And the first story was about your other Warden. We follow along, make decisions for that chara- that person. Things change based on the decisions we make in those stories. People live and die based on what we choose.” She motions to the other two game titles sitting in their spots next to the one Dorian spotted. “I don’t know how different your world is from what we’ve seen here, but it’s definitely the same world. And I don’t know why things are different from canon – according to the default world, you would be king, Alistair.”

 

“Wait. You mean…you’ve seen…”

 

“I’m sorry, Dorian. I’ve seen some of it, but it wasn’t that Trevelyan. Your world is different than the ones I’ve played.”

 

“And you saw Solona…”

 

“Ah. So, your Warden was Solona Amell. That means that Anora is on the throne on her own, yes?” Alistair took a hesitant step backwards, and Lu had to stop herself from reaching out.

 

“I’m sorry. I wish I didn’t know these things, because it’s not fair.”

 

“No, it’s not. But it’s not your fault, either. Lu, you couldn’t have known.” Dorian didn’t sound even remotely confident in the words he pushed out, but she was grateful for them anyways.

 

“He’s right. You couldn’t have known.” The flat distance in Alistair’s voice broke her heart, and she struggled to hide the wince.

 

She tried for a moment to come up with something else to say, to apologize in a way that felt like it meant something, but she just couldn’t find the words. Instead, she said “Let’s get this done, and if you want to see it, I’ll show you when we get back. I’ll show everyone who wants to see, but I wouldn’t blame anyone for not being interested.”

 

Alistair nodded, but Dorian didn’t move for several beats. He watched them both carefully, then frowned deeply and reached out to tug Alistair’s sleeve.

 

“Can you finish on your own, Lu? I think we may need to take some air.”

 

“Of course, Dorian. Here, take the keys. You can go out to the car if you like. I’ll make it quick. I may need help loading everything up, though. If that’s okay.”

 

“We’ll be happy to help, Lu. I think we just need a little time.” Alistair touched Dorian’s arm, taking the game case from his hand and passing it to Lu before they slowly wandered away. She watched them go for a moment, then sniffled and wiped away the tear she hadn’t held back.

 

“Shit fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf


	6. When You See It...

She finished the shop in record time, getting plenty of staples and some treats, as well as several items on the list she’d started the night before. She also looked up the recipe they’d been talking about earlier for the dessert bars, and made sure she had plenty of ingredients to make multiple batches. On top of that, she got the biggest cheese tray she could find, and picked up every different fruit she came across – canned, frozen, or fresh. It wasn’t much in the way of an apology, and she knew it. Hell, she even thought it might have come across as a bribe, or using her creepy knowledge to try and take advantage of their good graces. She didn’t know what else to do, though.

 

They were both sitting in the back seat of the car when she got outside, and as soon as they saw her they jumped out to help her cram everything into the back of the station wagon. It was getting to be a tight fit, and she found yet another reason to be glad they didn’t have another stop to make.

 

She got in the front seat, and they seemed to be conferring outside for a few moments before Alistair slipped into the passenger seat beside her. Dorian sat behind her, and he gently rested a hand on her shoulder. She slumped a little, her eyes closing.

 

“I’m sorry, guys. I don’t know what I’m doing. I know there are things I need to tell you about what’s coming, but I don’t know how much else to say, or the best way to say it. I’m sorry I invaded your privacy. Both of you.”

 

Neither of them spoke, but Dorian squeezed her shoulder tightly. Alistair reached over and took her hand in both of his, staring at it for a moment, then nodded and pulled back.

 

The drive was eerily quiet for a while, as both Alistair and Dorian seemed to drift into their own thoughts. They were just about to get on the highway when Alistair spoke up.

 

“Solona died. Zevran still hasn’t forgiven her for that.” His voice cracked a little, and Lu had to swallow back the tears that threatened. “I loved her, but she… She never saw me that way.”

 

Lu reached over to grab his hand, squeezing it tightly in lieu of trying to speak. There was no way for her to make words without letting the tears loose, and this wasn’t her tragedy to mourn. He didn’t move to pull his hand away, and she was grateful for the connection.

 

Dorian was quiet behind them, but she could feel his attention on them. _Bless you, you darling man._

 

“She said something about Morrigan presenting her with an offer – some ritual that sounded like nonsense. She told Morrigan to stuff it.” He was watching her as he spoke, so he saw the flinch when it hit her. “It would have worked, wouldn’t it? She wouldn’t have died.”

 

“No, she wouldn’t have. I don’t blame her for not believing Morrigan, though. Especially if they hadn’t gotten along well up to that point.”

 

“They hadn’t. Solona never trusted her. She barely trusted anyone, really – except for Zev.”

 

“I’m so sorry, Alistair.”

 

“I know.”

 

They rode in quiet for a long time, and she noted that Alistair never did pull his hand away.

 

***

 

It was nearly one o’clock before they got back, and she knew they’d all be hungry.

 

Max had seen them approach, so they were ready to help with the unloading. With seven people, it only took a few minutes to get everything out of the car and piled into the cabin.

 

She had bagged all of the frozen and refrigerated groceries separately, and she promptly handed those off to the first set of hands she found and provided instructions. She did snag a couple of frozen lasagnas before they disappeared, though, and got the oven heating up while they worked.

 

She diverted the camping supplies to the corner by the door, instructing everyone to stack the bags and boxes out of the way because she’d have to sort it later. No one questioned anything they saw, either because they didn’t recognize what they were looking at or they were just too polite to say anything, and she relaxed just a smidge.

 

The clothes were bagged by person, and Dorian and Alistair distributed the packages. There were noises of delight and confusion as they all investigated their new wardrobes. It felt like Christmas, really, and Lu paused a moment to lean against the counter and revel in the deep warmth of watching them open their packages.

 

They’d found a pair of big, stompy boots for Hawke, and she cackled when she put them on. Max had delighted at the thick forest green sweater Dorian had found for him, and Lu caught the gently affectionate look they exchanged. Varric complained volubly that all of his shirts had normal collars, and Cassandra glowered at him.

 

The Seeker had gone quiet when she saw the black leather jacket they’d found for her, though, and Lu caught her smiling softly. Lu had specifically tried to find things that were feminine without being frilly, and the jacket fit the bill perfectly. She tried it on, and it fit her amazingly well – cut close but not too tight, and the asymmetrical zipper hit her just right.

 

They all darted to different corners, trying on their new clothes and providing running commentary. Alistair very quietly slipped back outside in the chaos with Bear, and Lu was debating whether or not to follow him when Dorian appeared at her side.

 

“You need to talk to him, Lu, but not yet. Give him a little while to sort it out in his head.” He leaned against the kitchen counter next to her, and she nodded.

 

“I know. I will. There’s a lot going on with him, and not just about the game. I think that old lady threw him for a loop.” The oven beeped, and she turned to put the lasagnas in to cook.

 

“I noticed that, too. I certainly hope it wasn’t because of me.” He paused for a moment, then leaned in closer. “We would look nice together, wouldn’t we? He’s quite the attractive man.”

 

“Dorian, you stop that. Do not stir this up.” She nudged at him, but the corners of her mouth turned up and any venom she’d intended disappeared. “It wasn’t about you, and I think you know that. Yes, you two would be beautiful together, but that’s because you’re both beautiful and now it’s time to stop talking about this or anything like it ever. What can I do for you, Varric?”

 

She hadn’t seen the dwarf until she knew it was too late – he’d definitely heard more than she intended. _Surprise, that._ Dorian let slip a quiet chuckle beside her, and she glowered at him.

 

“Lu, you’ve done plenty. We chopped some wood for the fireplace while you were gone, so you’re stocked. Hawke and His Inquisitorialness have been trying to figure out how to open another rift with so little magic here. Sparkler may be able to help with that, if he’s free?”

 

“Oh, I believe he is! Dorian, it sounds like they desperately need your advice. Can you go save the day?”

 

“But of course! I will speak to you later, Lu.” The smirk on his face warmed just slightly before he turned away from her, crinkling the corners of his eyes, and she desperately wanted to hug him in that instant. Varric glanced between them and chuckled, shaking his head as he followed Dorian away.

 

She watched them all scattered around her home, bright and alive and warm – _oh god so warm in here with all these people_ – and her knees nearly gave out. The weight on their shoulders made her sick, but they each bore it with their own particular grace. Saving a world wasn’t an adventure to them – it was a reality that she had never let her brain fully process.

 

A hand rested gently on her shoulder, and she turned to see Cassandra frowning at her. _Thedosians keep getting the drop on me. This is ridiculous._ “Are you okay, Lu? You look ill.”

 

“I am ill, Cass. I can’t fathom what you deal with every day. I’ve never had to really live with the thought that someone I know might die tomorrow, and every one of you handles that every single day. It’s just taking a minute to adjust.” She tried to offer a smile, but from the reaction on Cassandra’s face it came across as more of a grimace. The Seeker tilted her head to the loft, then gently nudged Lu in that direction.

 

When they got upstairs, Lu had to blink a few times to clear her eyes. They’d made the bed – or, well, a valiant attempt at it, since its occupants were both of noble birth and likely had only attempted the task a handful of times. All of the extra blankets were folded neatly and stacked at the foot of the bed, and the couch cushions were all fluffed and placed just so.

 

Cass led her to the couch and sat her down, settling in next to her. When she spoke, her voice was quiet, gentle in its tone but firm with conviction.

 

“Most of us chose this, you know. We knew what we were taking on when we agreed to join. Some of us did not have a choice, like Trevelyan, and I regret that it was necessary to take them on.” Cass leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees and looking at the floor. “You are not a soldier, Lu. Our task is not even of your world, but you have offered your assistance without reservation.”

 

She paused, and Lu tilted her own downturned face to look at the Seeker.

 

“Perhaps you have offered too much, as you did not fully understand what you were getting into. No one would blame you for stepping back at this point. This is not your battle to fight.”

 

Lu stared at her for a moment, letting the words sink in. She rolled the thought around in her mind for a few moments, weighing the options carefully. There was no way she wanted this to come across as flippant. “Cass, I can’t do that. It doesn’t matter how scary it is – I can’t not help. I’m not remotely equipped to take up arms and join you on a battlefield, but I am most definitely capable of offering other assistance. I can give you clean clothes, a safe place to sleep, and maybe a few secret weapons for what’s coming, if you let me. Anything I can do to keep just one of you safer, I will do it.”

 

“You are sure? But, why?”

 

“You are doing what’s right, Cassandra. The Inquisition can save Thedas.  It may not be my fight, but I won’t let it fail at my doorstep.” She winced a little as she danced around the _‘Because I’ve done it before’_ explanation that would inevitably become necessary.

 

Cass stood, nodding sharply and extending her hand. “Then we will gladly accept your aid, Tallulah Bronwyn. Welcome to the Inquisition.”

 

Lu clasped the offered hand and stood as well, and while she felt the proud warmth of acceptance, she also feared the impact that her impending explanation would have. There wasn’t much time to ponder it, though, as they were interrupted by the beeping of the oven below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic, and apparently keeps growing.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf  
> "Until the Levee" by Joy Williams  
> "When You Break" by Bear's Den  
> "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae


	7. Through the Looking Glass, Kinda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: This chapter gets a little more intense. There are some aggression signals here, and a panic attack in response to that. There is no physical violence, though.

Lunch was more subdued than Lu had expected. The two mages looked disheartened, still whispering together at the end of the table. Varric had gone outside to fetch Alistair, and they had joined Cass to cram in around the rest of the table. They chatted politely, but the tension and stress of the situation was starting to push its way to the forefront.

 

Max had settled in at the counter, watching the conversation with a distant, thoughtful frown. Lu wasn’t entirely sure how to navigate the obvious shift, and she didn’t know Max well enough to feel comfortable pushing into his personal space, so she took her plate to the couch and snagged her laptop.

 

She was well into curating a list of sources to research on how the rift magic might work on Earth when Max sat down beside her.

 

“You’ve barely touched your food, Lu. You should eat.”

 

“I know I should, but I’m not hungry. Too much to do, you know?” She shrugged a shoulder, offering a weak smile.

 

“You sound like Cullen, and I won’t stand for it from you any more than I will from him. Eat.” He gently tugged at the laptop, pulling it out of her hands and replacing it with her fork. Her plate, essentially forgotten on the coffee table, was in her lap before she could form a coherent protest.

 

“I, uh. Thanks.”

 

“Something happened while you were gone, didn’t it? Dorian was cagey, and told me to ask you about it.”

 

She dropped her head, scooting a noodle around her plate with her fork. “You could say that. They, uh…. They saw something, and I told them that I’d try to explain it to everyone, but I haven’t figured out how yet.”

 

Max’s voice was gentle but firm when he spoke again, and she wondered if Cassandra had been coaching him. “Why don’t you tell me, and then we can figure out how to tell them?”

 

“That’s the problem. It’s different for you and Hawke. It’s going to affect you two differently than everyone else, and that makes it even harder.”

 

“Right – you said the stories are about us, right?”

 

“Ugh. It’s hard to explain. Come upstairs.”

 

She snagged the laptop and moved to the stairs, setting the plate aside again. She knew Bear would probably get it, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care.

 

Max looked well past concerned when she led him to the desk, motioning for him to sit down while she plugged in her mouse and pulled up the game file.

 

The music started, and she tilted the screen to show him the intro animation.

 

“That’s… that’s the Temple of Sacred Ashes.” He blinked at it, and she nodded solemnly. “How is that the Temple of Sacred Ashes?”

 

“I was a little disingenuous about what exactly you are here. You’re not _exactly_ a story. You’re a game.” She opened an older save file from the Hinterlands. He stared, frozen except for the clenching of his jaw.

 

“You and Hawke are what we call Player Characters. You are the point of view, and we can… customize you, I guess. To an extent. All human Inquisitors are Trevelyans, but with different first names and appearances. You could also have been a dwarven Cadash, an elven Lavellan, or a Vashoth Adaar.” The game loads, and Lu’s Adaar shows up on the screen – with Dorian, Bull, and Cole.

 

“It’s not really just a story that we hear. We… play with it. Play with you. We make decisions for you to see how the game progresses.”

 

“This is impossible. I don’t understand.” His face was drawn and pale, and Lu grimaced.

 

“That’s why I didn’t try to explain it this way immediately. There’s no good way to tell someone that we manipulate them for fun, and I don’t know that you would have believed me.”

 

He shakes his head, pushing weakly at the desk to back away from it. “No. This can’t be. It’s just not possible.”

 

“I swear to you, if the six of you hadn’t slept in my house and cleaned out my kitchen, I would agree with you one hundred percent. We can’t deny that you’re here, though, and that we have to find a way to get you home. The form of the story is… an exceedingly uncomfortable distraction from that main goal, I think.”

 

“A distraction. You think this is a distraction.” He jolted to his feet, kicking the chair away and clenching his fists as he glowered at her. Lu stifled a cry of surprise and stepped back, wincing visibly.

 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it that way, I swear. I don’t know how to explain this, Max, and I don’t know how to fix it.” He took a step towards her, and she backed away again.

 

"My  _life_ is not a distraction. This Mark that nearly killed me isn't a distraction. This is our  _world_ , Lu, and you play with us like toys?" 

 

Footsteps pounded up the stairs, and Dorian appeared behind Trevelyan and put a hand on the rogue’s arm to pull him away. “Max, darling. Amatus. It’s not her fault. She’s the messenger.” 

 

“I know, Dorian. I know. It doesn’t make it better.” He made a visible effort to unclench his hands, stretching his fingers while keeping them firmly to his sides as he stepped backwards. “I apologize, Lu. I didn’t mean to scare you. I don’t…I don’t know how to handle this information, and I reacted without thinking.”

 

Lu nodded briefly, though she didn’t move any closer. There were more footsteps on the stairs, and Lu’s fingers and toes started to tingle with the impending panic. She opened her mouth to try to say something, but it came out as little more than a croak.

 

Alistair pushed his way past the two men by the desk, reaching a hand out towards Lu but stopping short of actually touching her. “It’s okay. Everything is okay. Let’s get you downstairs, okay Lu? Then we can all talk about what’s going on up here, and you don’t feel cornered. How does that sound?”

 

“Right! Splendid idea, Alistair. Max, why don’t we head down first and give her a little breathing room.” Dorian tugged firmly on Max’s arm at the gentle yet insistent instruction, and the rogue seemed to deflate almost instantly.

 

“Right. I’m sorry, Lu. Come down when you’re ready, and we can all talk about this together. I promise not to be an ass.” He let Dorian lead him away, looking more like a kicked puppy than the leader he was. Lu, however, couldn’t muster the effort to feel bad for him at the moment.

 

Lu tried to focus on her breath, in through the nose and out through the mouth, but she couldn’t seem to find her bearings or concentrate. Alistair slowly took her by the hand and led her to the edge of the bed, gently urging her to sit down.

 

“You’re okay. Just breathe, and listen to my voice. Can you do that?” He wrapped her hand in both of his, gently rubbing it between his palms. She nodded, and he gave her fingers a little squeeze.

 

“Good. Can you tell me what you’re feeling right now?” His voice was low and gentle, and she let it ground her.

 

“My fingers went tingly, but they’re better. I can breathe. Your hands are warm.” She blinked several times, then turned to face him. “You’ve done this before, then?”

 

He nodded, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. “One of the other Warden recruits would have attacks. He told us how best to help him calm down. It’s been useful.”

 

She closed her eyes and lowered her head, and he reached over to take her other hand. He pressed her palms together, then wrapped his much larger hands around hers and chuffed at them.

 

“Thank you, Alistair. This is… not easy for anyone, I think. And it’s not likely to get better once everyone knows. I think they all deserve to know, but I don’t know how to tell them in a way that won’t make them angry or scare them.”

 

“I know. I don’t think there is a way, to be honest. We just have to try and keep each other calm while we figure it out.”

 

She turned towards him fully, searching his face. “How are you so steady? It’s amazing.”

 

He blinked, then barked a soft laugh. “I’m not, but I’m glad it looks like I am. You seem to be doing better.”

 

“I am. Thank you, Alistair. Will you… will you stay with me while I do this, as much as you can? I mean, if you need to step away, that’s fine, but – “

 

“Lu, it’s okay. I’ll be right here, okay? If I have issues with it, we can talk about it later. I’m okay with that. Are you?” His hands gave hers another gentle squeeze, and she instantly regretted that this moment of comfort had been over something so _disturbing_ for everyone involved.

 

“I… yeah. Yeah, that’s good. Thank you.”

 

“Also, just so you know, Bear ate your lunch.”

 

***

 

Everyone was collected and waiting when they came downstairs. They watched her with various blends of interest, dread, and fear, and if Alistair hadn’t been directly behind her she likely would have tried to turn back around.

 

“Okay. So, I wasn’t entirely honest with you when I told you about how I know things. It was the best I could come up with to kinda bridge the gap between what I could explain and what’s true, though, so it wasn’t entirely a lie. It’s just more complicated… and is probably likelier to make you angry.” She was babbling, but she couldn’t seem to wrangle the words correctly yet.

 

“Trevelyan has been trying to explain it to us. It doesn’t make sense, but he has made it clear that he doesn’t believe you were trying to lie to us. We’ll listen, Lulu.” Varric gave her a tense smile, but it didn’t make her feel any better.

 

“I might not do a much better job. We’ll see.” She moved over to the TV and game consoles, powering them up and navigating to the Inquisition game icon. She could feel the recognition as she started the console version of the game, and she braced for it.

 

“Yours isn’t a story like you read in a book. It’s a game where we pretend to be someone in your world – the Warden, Hawke, and the Inquisitor. We make their decisions for them, direct their companions, and generally just play around with their lives.”

 

When the image of the Temple of Sacred Ashes appears on the screen, she can hear the gasps around the room.

 

“That song…” Cassandra’s face was drawn, her hand covering her mouth.

 

“It’s a version of The Dawn Will Come. You sang that to Trevelyan after the escape from Haven.”

 

“How can you know that?”

 

“Because I watched you do it, Cass. You sang it to him, and in another version of your world, you sang it to me. I’ve been through our world’s version of your Inquisition three times – as a dwarven rogue, a Vashoth mage, and an elven warrior. Instead of Trevelyan, there was Brigid Cadash, Vardel Adaar, and Millory Lavellan.” She booted up a Skyhold save from her Cadash playthrough, and the uncomfortable noises behind her got worse.

 

“Those names will likely sound familiar to Max, at least in passing. There are war table missions for each of those names even if they’re not the Inquisitor.” The game loaded in the Undercroft, and she moved Cadash up the stairs and through the door. “You can see that it’s not complete – they don’t show you moving from the Undercroft to the throne dais – it skips. There’s a lot of that.” A moment later the game loaded, and she panned the camera to show the Chasind throne she’d been using.

 

“Maker. This isn’t possible.” Cassandra looked like she was going to be ill, and Lu really couldn’t blame her.

 

“That’s what I said. Keep going, Lu.” Max’s voice was harsh but quiet, and she could tell that he was working to keep his frustration under wraps. Dorian kept Max’s one hand wrapped in both of his, thumb stroking the inside of the other man’s wrist to comfort him.

 

“Well, there’s a lot to talk about. First, though, let’s meet Varric.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic, and apparently keeps growing.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf  
> "Until the Levee" by Joy Williams  
> "When You Break" by Bear's Den  
> "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae  
> "I Found" by Amber Run  
> "Arsonist's Lullabye" by Hozier  
> "Oblivion" by Bastille  
> "Hallelujah" by Tori Kelly, from the Sing soundtrack  
> "Bow Down" by CHVRCHES  
> "Sleep Baby Sleep" by Broods


	8. This is Your Life!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are also two accompanying pieces in the Drips and Drabs for this one - check chapters 4 and 5 for some additional treats. :)

“I’ve got a minute if you need something.” Hawke actually screamed a little when the Varric on screen started speaking, setting Bear into a brief barking fit. Varric looked pale. Cassandra turned her face away. Dorian and Alistair, brave souls, barely flinched.

 

“See this little wheel? There’s a dialogue option here. I can choose what she asks, how she responds to the things he says.”

 

“Shit.” Varric stared at the screen for a while, then turned to Lu. “Why do I look so blocky?”

 

“Sorry - it’s the limitation of the medium.” She backed out of the conversation, not wanting to inflict more on Varric than was entirely necessary. “Cass, Varric, and Dorian are all here, as well as the rest of the companions. Alistair is king in this game, so he’s mostly in Denerim. Hawke and Max? You exist, but differently. Hawke is Garrett, not Marian. And Max? The Trevelyan here possibly died at the Conclave, but it’s unclear if they even showed up. It’s possibly that they’re floating around in Haven, or safe at home.”

 

“I’m…. dead.”

 

“Well, not exactly and not necessarily. The Trevelyan who would have been Inquisitor, which is actually quite a vague description, would be… somewhere, I guess? There’s nothing saying that any of the remaining potential Inquisitors necessarily made it to the Conclave, is what I’m trying to say. They don’t tell us everything – just enough to get the story going, really. Ugh – it’s so hard to explain. Each race – dwarven, Vashoth, elven, and human – has a surname and a vague history, but that’s about all that’s set in stone. They can be male or female, warrior or mage or rogue. Well, dwarves can’t be mages, but you get the idea.”

 

“Maker.” Max’s knees wobbled, and he moved to perch on the arm of the chair Dorian was sitting in. Dorian absently raised his hand to press comfortingly against Max’s lower back.

 

“Yeah. It covers a lot of ground, but it’s spotty. For a game, it’s pretty damn big – but that’s, what, a couple of years of actual time for you? That leaves a lot that we don’t see in the hours of gameplay.”

 

“Wait. Go back. If Max isn’t there, then… what happens to me?” Dorian sounded like he almost didn’t want to ask the question. It broke Lu’s heart.

 

“You are glorious regardless, Dorian. Yours is one of the deepest friendships in the game. And you’re not necessarily single, though I don’t know how pleased you’d be to hear about it. There’s always the option that you’d be with whoever became Inquisitor, but if they’re not into men, or the Inquisitor is female…”

 

“Kaffas! Just say it, Lu.”

 

“It’s possible that you could get together with Bull.”

 

Dorian gasped, and Max made a choking noise. Varric crowed with laughter, earning him two separate scathing looks.

 

“I knew it, Sparkler! There was definitely tension there.”

 

“No. I refuse to accept that.”

 

“I know. It’s strange to think about here, and it’s not like it doesn’t require an, ahem, adjustment period. It’s a good match for both of you, though. I’ll tell you about it later, if you like.”

 

“I don’t know if I can handle that.” He blinked and looked slightly less horrified, and she could see the wheels turning as he entertained the idea. Max was losing the death glare a bit, and there just might have been a trace of amusement.

 

“I definitely can. Lulu, we need to have a chat about that.” Max shot a glare at the still laughing Varric, and Lu smirked a little and shook her head.

 

“Only if Dorian is okay with it. It’s… well, it’s beyond awkward to talk about now. Also, Dorian isn’t the only companion that the potential Inquisitor can romance.”

 

Cassandra perked up a little at that. “Oh? There are other stories?”

 

“There are. Varric, you’re off the table – it’s never even suggested. But Cass? Yeah, you’re an option. Same with Cullen, Bull, Blackwall, Josephine, Sera, and Solas. Blackwall and Cullen are only interested in women, as is Sera. Solas is strictly into the female Lavellan, because he’s a snot. Josie and Bull are…. flexible, and Cass and Dorian are into men. This is just in-game, though – I don’t know how well that applies to the actual people.”

 

“Sounds about right. Why did you make that face when you mentioned Solas, though?” _Dammit, Varric._

 

“Because Solas is something of a problem. Not now – he’s completely on your side at the moment, but he won’t be forever. There’s a lot to unpack there, but that’s for a more detailed conversation later.”

 

“You have been three different Inquisitors, you said. How does that change things?” Cass was starting to warm up to the conversation, though she still hadn’t entirely lost the green tinge to her face.

 

“It can change a lot. Think of all the decisions Max makes, and then imagine him doing something differently. From the Skyhold décor to whether to ally with the Templars or the mages – so much of it is changeable. It always hits the same big beats, though. Haven always falls – there isn’t anything anyone can do to prevent that, and someone should probably mention that to Cullen. You can never recruit both the Templars and the mages. You will always go to Halamshiral. You will always fall into a rift at Adamant. The choices made can’t veer you away from those moments, but they can inform what will happen there.”

 

“And you want to try to change it by saving both Alistair and myself.” Hawke’s leg was bouncing violently as she perched on the edge of the couch, and she looked about ready to leap out of her seat.

 

“I do. The game progresses basically the same way regardless of who makes it out. The survivor goes to Weisshaupt, and that’s basically it for their game time. Whoever lives gets to play that role. So why not get both of you out? It’s a stupid plot point that they threw in for extra drama and angst. I believe it’s an unnecessary death, and that we can avoid it entirely.”

 

“Why would you risk it? Why should we try to change what you’ve seen?” Alistair’s voice was low behind her, and she realized that he’d stayed right there, just as promised. It wrenched in her gut a little.

 

“It’s a stupid plot point, and I think it’s beatable with preparation. I hated it when it was a fiction, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t at least try to fix it now.”

 

“You’ve made that choice. Three times.” Max’s face had softened, and Lu had to turn away.

 

“In game, yes. It’s always Hawke and a Warden. If Alistair is king, then the Warden is likely Stroud.”

 

“Likely? Who else would it be?” Alistair, again with the quiet voice from just behind her. Lu winced visibly, and Bear wandered over to sit on her foot. He plopped down and looked up at her, tongue lolling gently.

 

“It’s Loghain.”

 

Alistair didn’t say a word, but she could feel him tense up behind her. He didn’t move, though, and she wanted desperately to hug him – but that would have to wait.

 

“But Loghain is dead.” Varric frowned.

 

“In most cases, yes. But the Warden was another person like Hawke and Max, and those choices had significant impact. Deciding what to do with Loghain was another one of those points.”

 

“Wait – you said that the dwarven Inquisitor was a Cadash. That… that sounds like…” Alistair piped up again, but his voice trembled a bit.

 

“It’s the same house that Shale was from.” He blinked at her, and she wilted a little as his face shuttered into deep thought. Bear whimpered and licked at Lu’s fingers, then moved back to sit on Alistair’s foot.

 

“Do you understand why I didn’t try to explain this right away? You wouldn’t have believed me – or if you had, you’d have probably seen me as a threat. I can’t say I’d have blamed you, but it wouldn’t have been helpful.”

 

“You are likely correct, Lu. We would not have taken kindly to a stranger telling us our lives like this.” Cass gave a small nod, and it felt like absolution.

 

“I’m still something like a stranger, Cass, and I don’t expect you to believe all of this right away. I will answer any other questions, I promise. Just remember that you can’t un-know what I tell you. How much do you want to know about the other versions of yourselves floating around in this game? How much do you really want to know about what’s coming? Try to think about that before we dig too deep.”

 

She looked at each of them in turn, offering eye contact as she continued. “I will say this, though. This is doable. Corypheus is killable. You genuinely can save the world – it’s not a vain hope, or an unwinnable fight. I trust that you would do so even if you’d never met me, because you are all heroes in your own right. Figuring this shit out is what you do.” As she finished, she stepped over and dropped down onto the cot by the fireplace. Someone had set it up where she’d dozed off the previous night, and she was grateful for it.

 

“Thank you for your honesty, Lu. I think we all need a bit of time to let this sink in. If you will excuse us.” Max stood up, Dorian popping up directly behind him, and they shuffled towards the stairs. Everyone else followed suit, spreading out into different corners of the main room.

 

“By all means. Thanks.” She looked down at her hands and noticed that they were shaking. An instant later, Alistair sat down beside her and drew her hands into his, rubbing them like he had before. They sat like that for several minutes before he spoke up.

 

“That could have gone worse.”

 

“Yes, it could have. Are you alright, Alistair?”

 

“I don’t know. Can I get back to you on that?”

 

“Of course. Take your time.” She wasn’t aware that she’d leaned into him until she felt her head falling towards his shoulder. He didn’t say anything, but his hands continued to rub hers gently.

 

“You’re really good at this. And you make a great pillow.”

 

“Shhh. Take it easy, Lu. Relax.” He rested his head against hers, giving her hands a gentle squeeze as he chuffed at them. She could feel the tension melting away, along with the weight of hiding the game that she hadn’t even realized she’d been carrying. Exhaustion tugged at her limbs and eyelids, and the warm weight of Bear’s head sliding into her lap soothed her nerves. Within moments, she was asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic, and apparently keeps growing.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf  
> "Until the Levee" by Joy Williams  
> "When You Break" by Bear's Den  
> "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae  
> "I Found" by Amber Run  
> "Arsonist's Lullabye" by Hozier  
> "Oblivion" by Bastille  
> "Hallelujah" by Tori Kelly, from the Sing soundtrack  
> "Bow Down" by CHVRCHES  
> "Sleep Baby Sleep" by Broods


	9. Adventures in Technology

She woke to Bear’s nose and tongue all over her face, overheated and confused. The fire had been tended carefully, and it blazed next to her. _That explains that._

 

She heard voices nearby, so she rubbed her bleary eyes and peeked around. Hawke, Max, and Alistair were sitting on the couch, huddled together. They were quiet, barely more than a whisper, and they looked serious but not panicked.

 

“I think your dog wants you awake.” Varric wandered over and leaned against the wall next to her cot, giving her a gentle smile.

 

“He doesn’t like it when I’m stressed out. How long have I been asleep?” She sat up and stretched, and she saw the movement catch Alistair’s eye. He didn’t entirely turn to face her, but she knew he’d been watching for her to wake up. _He’s too fucking sweet, and I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t back away._

 

“Maybe a half hour? Not long, but you went out like a light.” He smirked at her, offering her a glass of water and lowering his voice. “He stuck close, you know. I think he was worried.”

 

“Why Varric, I don’t know who you mean.”

 

“Riiiight. You could take lessons in subtlety from Hawke, you know.”

 

She shot him a glare, and then her eyes widened as she realized. “Oh shit. Do you think he knows?”

 

“Not yet. He’s about as oblivious as you are smooth, so that gives you some breathing room. He might not be opposed to the idea – have you thought about talking to him?”

 

“You and Dorian, I swear. Yes, I’ve thought about it. Best case scenario, we hit it off and you guys go back and we never see each other again. That’s the ideal here, Varric – maybe a few days and then goodbye.”  She chugged the water and sighed. “It also doesn’t take into account some other somewhat uncomfortable truths about his role in the first game.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I know how it could have gone for him if Solona hadn’t been a bitch. They could have very easily had a love for the ages, unless he became king. It’s the only time I disagreed with him – if the Warden was elven or dwarven, or was a mage, he could break it off if he were king, or try to keep her as his mistress. I understand why, don’t get me wrong. If she were a Cousland, though, he could have made her his queen.”

 

“How many times were you queen, Lu?”

 

“Not once. I never played a Cousland.”

 

“Oh, Lu. That’s…. not right.”

 

“I am well aware, Varric. Very well aware.”

 

“Well, there’s only one solution. After dinner, we play Wicked Grace and drink.”

 

“Someone has to teach me how to play, and it won’t be you. You, sir, cheat at cards.”

 

“So does everyone else, Lulu.” He wandered away with a low chuckle, and Alistair gave her another glance over his shoulder. She smiled at him and nodded, then scrambled to her feet to get as far away from him as the cabin would allow.

 

***

 

The afternoon was full of magical theory (that Lu barely understood) and plotting out the battle in the Fade. She showed them bits and pieces through game videos online, choosing parties with none of those present included to minimize the trauma from the already strange endeavor.

 

There were multiple little detours once they discovered the wide variety of videos available on YouTube, and when someone got too restless she sent them off with her laptop to peruse. They couldn’t really read the titles, but YouTube videos had preview images, so it worked out pretty well. She was potentially going to regret letting them adventure on her account, because her browsing history would never be the same.

 

She included a set of headphones in the package when Hawke’s adventure led her to a Babymetal song on repeat at nearly full volume, with accompanying delighted cackle. That was partly Lu’s fault, because that particular video really wasn’t that far back in her browsing history, so she only gave halfhearted glares and showed Hawke how to put the headphones on.

 

Dorian contented himself with Neil DeGrasse Tyson and The Backyard Scientist, taking prolific notes in… well, she wasn’t sure if that was Common or Tevene, but it was completely illegible to her. _I’m losing some pens to that man. I just know it._

 

Max had requested political primers, and she set him up with several tabs’ worth of government structure explanations as well as pundits and wonks to give a sense of Earth's current political climate. He was studious and serious in the corner, and Lu struggled to reconcile the leader there with the outburst she’d seen earlier.

 

Alistair had been tempted to skip his turn and just take Bear outside, but Max had insisted that he take at least a few minutes to browse. Lu settled him in with some 80s music videos and Eddie Izzard sketches, and every little chuckle from the corner made her face flush just slightly.

 

And then there weren’t giggles. There was a panicked “oh no” and lots of clicking, followed by the click of the lid closing. Before Lu could turn around to see what was wrong, she heard the lagged audio from where the Bluetooth headset disconnected just before the computer went to sleep. There was no mistaking what those moans were, and poor Alistair looked like he was ready to crawl away.

 

“Oh. I, uh. Whoops. Sorry about that.” Lu moved over towards him and held her hand out for the computer, and he practically shoved it away.

 

“Maker! I didn’t mean to…” Varric snorted, but Hawke was less successful at stifling her laughter.

 

“No! No, it’s fine. I was, uh. Gonna watch that later, and then you guys showed up, and I never got back to it. I like these two – they’re very pretty.” She opened the laptop and the moaning resumed at full volume. “They’re always loud, too. Sorry, Alistair. It’s not your fault, I promise!”

 

The chorus of groans at discovering that she’d closed all the windows before anyone else could get a peek was almost louder than the moans had been.

 

***

 

“You okay?” She found him outside a while later, playing fetch with Bear as he’d originally intended. His cheeks were still tinged pink, and they flushed all over again when he heard her voice.

 

“Maker, I don’t know.” He hung his head, and again she had to stifle the laugh that bubbled up.

 

“I promise it’s okay. I shouldn’t be surprised that someone found the bookmark, though when I think about it I honestly figured it’d be Hawke or Dorian.”

 

“I wish it had been.”

 

“Was it so bad to see some naked ladies, or were you just surprised?” She leaned down to give Bear a scratch as he celebrated under all the extra attention.

 

“Ah. Well, surprise, yes. I wasn’t expecting that, and I wasn’t, ah, prepared.” He blushed again, and she reached out to put a comforting hand on his arm.

 

“You know it’s okay to like naked ladies, right? And that it’s also okay to not like them?”

 

“Maker’s breath, do we have to talk about it?” He was starting to look genuinely agitated, and she shook her head.

 

“No, of course not. I’m sorry. I did have another reason to come get you, in fact. We’re going to start dinner soon, and that includes dessert. Dorian and I were wondering if you’d like to help make those black forest cheesecake bars from this morning.”

 

His face lifted, and she tried to ignore the swell of warmth she felt at his small smile.

 

“I thought you might like that idea. You know, I think you might secretly be a stress baker without a kitchen.”

 

“A what now?”

 

“I think that you might like to make food when you’re stressed or worried, but you don’t tend to stay anywhere with a kitchen you can use. A little stress relief would do you good, Alistair.”

 

“But I’m a horrible cook.”

 

“Only because you don’t have practice.” She smiled and nudged at him, and he seemed to relax a little. “You have to eat more than most people, so you might as well learn to make things you enjoy.”

 

He peered at her, and for a moment she was afraid he’d be angry. Instead, he just sighed deeply and gave another weak smile. “You really do know things.”

 

He stared intently at her for a long moment, and she was suddenly reminded just how big he was. They were all taller than she expected – she wasn’t really all _that_ much taller than Varric, to be honest – but he was huge. _He must be a force of nature in a fight…_

 

She hadn’t realized that she’d been staring back until he gently took her hand in his. “We are lucky that you were the one who found us, Lu. Thank you.” Her mouth went dry as he squeezed her fingers, and she cursed the quiet realization rattling around in the back of her mind that he could probably see every bit of the effect he was having on her. If he did, he didn’t acknowledge it – instead, he tucked her hand in his arm and motioned towards the door. “Shall we be stress bakers, then?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic, and apparently keeps growing.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf  
> "Until the Levee" by Joy Williams  
> "When You Break" by Bear's Den  
> "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae  
> "I Found" by Amber Run  
> "Arsonist's Lullabye" by Hozier  
> "Oblivion" by Bastille  
> "Hallelujah" by Tori Kelly, from the Sing soundtrack  
> "Bow Down" by CHVRCHES  
> "Sleep Baby Sleep" by Broods


	10. Baking and Betting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DOUBLE UPDATE DAY!
> 
> This one was basically ready to post, so yeah. Here you go. :)

Dorian was a horrid baker. It was a shock to everyone involved, and a horrible blow to his ego.

 

It didn’t stop him from trying to help, though. He and Alistair bickered pleasantly as Lu set her largest pot to boil water for the pasta. She had the laptop open on the counter opposite where they were trying to work so she could read the recipe to them, but they hadn’t consulted her for several minutes.

 

“Dorian, the cherries come later.”

 

“But I want them in there now. There should be cherries in the cake as well as on top.”

 

“That would make it soggy, Dorian. The cherries are too wet.” Alistair deftly swiped the small bowl of cherries that Dorian was trying to add to the cheesecake batter, setting it aside as he mixed. “Finish the crust so we have something to put this on.”

 

“Alistair, how could you possibly know that. I am a highly skilled mage, and I have made countless potions- “

 

“Yes, but you didn’t bake them. I’ve had wet cheesecake. It’s not good. Now either make the crust or shoo.”

 

“Fine.” Dorian huffed and pressed the crumbly, buttery mixture into the baking dishes as Lu nearly chewed a hole in her cheek to stifle her laughter. Max noticed the huffing and made his way over, arching a brow at Dorian as he slid onto a bar stool.

 

“Are you causing trouble, love?”

 

“They won’t listen to me, amatus. I am clearly the more experienced, as I have mixed countless potions- “

 

Max smirked weakly and shook his head. “Dorian, your potions work very well, but they taste atrocious. Let them handle the food.”

 

“Betrayal of the highest order! I am wounded.” The mage slid the crusted baking dishes towards Alistair, and as soon as he was done filling them with the cheesecake batter he offered the mixing spoon to Dorian.

 

“Peace offering?”

 

“Of course.” He licked at the spoon and glanced meaningfully at Max, and the two of them wandered away towards the couch with the spoon and mixing bowl.

 

“So diplomatic, Alistair. I’m impressed.” Lu nudged him gently with her elbow as she stirred the pasta sauce and eyed the pot of water.

 

“How could he be so bad at this? He’s right. He makes potions. It’s not _that_ different.” He licked his thumb as he spread the batter evenly in the pans, and Lu had to look away quickly.

 

“I don’t really know. Mental block, maybe? He looks happy enough now, though.” He did, actually. Dorian and Max were passing the bowl back and forth, taking turns with the spoon and murmuring quietly at each other.

 

“He does. Good.” He turned to Lu with the pans in his hands, tilting his head at the oven. “Ready?”

 

“Sure!” She opened the oven and the heat rolled out, dancing across her cheeks as he slid the pans into place. The both stood and he pulled the oven door closed, brushing off his hands and smiling.

 

“I think you might have been right, Lu. This helps.”

 

“I figured it was worth a shot. You seem to get it pretty well.” She moved back to the stove to set the timer, and he leaned against the counter next to her as she went back to stirring.

 

“It just makes sense to me, I think. Not sure why.” She could feel him watching her and she flushed slightly, dipping her head over the sauce to hide her cheeks.

 

“Can I help with anything else while that bakes?” His voice was soft, and came from closer than she expected. She didn’t jump, though, and she was grateful for her composure when she turned to find him leaned towards her and smiling softly.

 

“Um. Oh, yes please. I have a bunch of salad stuff in the fridge. Can you pull it out and start chopping a bit?”

 

“Of course!” He brushed past her and started rummaging in the fridge, and she had to take a moment to settle herself while he was away.

 

“You okay, Lulu?”

 

“ _Goddammit_ , Varric.”

 

***

 

Dinner was a success, and dessert was even better. Alistair flushed brightly at the praise showered upon him, and Dorian only huffed a little.

 

After dinner, they broke out the booze and a deck of cards that Varric apparently had stashed on his person. How they had survived everything, no one could really explain – but they were there, and Lu found herself at the table with everyone else. Hawke sat to her right, followed by Dorian, Max, Varric, Cass, and Alistair at her left. Varric had apparently engineered it so he sat directly across from her, and it took everything she had not to kick him when he smirked in her direction.

 

“Okay. Hawke is going to teach you how to play. We usually play for coin, but our money doesn’t mean anything here, and Lu’s money won’t mean anything back home. Any ideas what we could play for?”

 

“Drinks?” Hawke was _not_ being helpful.

 

“That would just make the losers play even worse as they drank more. Clothing?” Dorian _even less_ so.

 

“We are not playing strip Wicked Grace.” Lu glowered at him, and Dorian smiled cheerily back.

 

“Then what shall we play for? It doesn’t mean anything if we can’t wager something.” Cassandra was also not exactly helping, and she kept giving Lu a strange look.

 

“Alright. I have an idea.” Lu stood up and went over to the closet, rummaging and thumping around until she came up with a small case. “My grandfather kept these around. They’re poker chips – used for wagering without cash. You all wanted stakes, though, so here we go.” She dropped the case on the table and opened it up, pulling out one of each of the three colors.

 

“There are about a hundred of these white chips. We’ll count these as snacks – there are plenty of things in the pantry that we can turn these in for. That gives everyone… fourteen chips to start. The red ones, we’ll call shots, and the winner will delegate who drinks but we’ll get to choose which liquor we shoot. Everyone gets…. I think six of those. The blue ones will be a truth or dare option – you can turn it in to ask one person to choose between a truth or a dare. The winner gets to choose the question or the dare, and the selected person can choose the other option if they are uncomfortable with the question or the dare.  Six of those per person as well. Sound good?”

 

“That sounds juuuuuust fiiiiine, Lulu.” _Goddammit Varric._

 

“Well, _that_ was likely a poor idea, but I’m a fan. Let’s give it a go!” Max seemed excited, and the other faces around the table were all various flavors of amenable, so Lu started dishing out the chips.

 

***

 

Hawke turned out to be a decent teacher. Lu wasn’t entirely losing her ass, which she considered to be a smashing success.

 

Six hands in, and no one had thrown a blue chip yet, though. Apparently, they were waiting for the shots to kick in a little to boost their courage.

 

No one was terribly surprised when Hawke was the first to throw in her blue chip. It shifted the dynamic of the hand dramatically – suddenly everyone was significantly more interested in winning, as opposed to playfully poking around. Hawke won the hand, of course, cackling madly and rubbing her hands together in her glee.

 

“Alright. Varric! Truth or dare.” Lu nearly snorted her drink. _That_ hadn’t been what she’d expected.

 

“Dare, Hawke. I’m sure you knew that, though.”

 

“Pluck five chest hairs.”

 

“Hawke! How could you?”

 

“Do you want a truth instead?”

 

“No, no I do not.” He winced, then plucked them one by one and showed them to everyone. There was a round of applause at the last one, and he rolled his eyes.

 

“You’ll pay for that, Hawke.”

 

“I’d like to see you try.”

 

The next few hands went on without another blue chip, but eventually Max threw one in. Dorian arched a brow at him, but the Inquisitor just shrugged. Cassandra raised him another one, and the table went silent as they all stared at her.

 

“I believe I have a good hand, and there are things I would like to learn. Please, continue.”

 

She was right. She cleaned out, and sat back in her chair with a delighted little smirk.

 

“Dorian.”

 

“Kaffas, no. Why me?”

 

“Because I like you. Truth or dare?”

 

“Fine. Dare.”

 

“Go outside and stick your head into the snow.” Max spluttered and cackled, nearly tumbling out of his chair. Dorian, meanwhile, crossed his arms and _fumed_.

 

“I disbelieve you, Seeker. Very well.” He got out of his chair and started to bundle himself up, but he stuck near the table to hear her other choice.

 

“Alright. For my second choice…. Alistair.”

 

“Me? Why me? What did I do to you? Maker’s breath…” He blushed all the way to the tips of his ears, and Lu had to pat him on the shoulder to soothe him a bit.   
  
“You have done nothing. This is merely how the game is played.” She eyed him carefully with just the hint of a smirk. “Do you choose truth or dare?”

 

“Dare, please. I think. No. Truth.”

 

“Truth, then. You were a Templar once, I understand."

 

"A recruit. And?"

 

"Tell me an embarrassing story. All recruits have one."

 

“Maker, why? Cassaaaaaaaandra, whyyyyyyyy?” He put on his best pleading face, and Lu covered her mouth. The rest of the table burst into chuckles, and Cass shook her head.

 

“They are the rules of the game, Alistair.”

 

“You are NOT doing that until I return. I cannot be the only one that doesn’t get to hear this.” Dorian stomped his way towards the door, and everyone turned to look out the window as he trudged through the snow. Alistair was fretting beside her, and Lu patted his arm again. When Dorian’s head disappeared into a snowbank, muffling the yelp he let loose, the table cheered and turned back around. Dorian reappeared a few moments later, slightly soggy and frowning deeply.

 

“You could always change your mind and ask for a dare, Alistair.” Lu tried to look encouraging, and he gave her a tepid glower.

 

“That might not be better. Ah, it’s nothing new.” He poured himself another drink – part of the case of wine she’d picked up – and launched into a tale of accidentally parading himself through the dining hall in nothing but his smallclothes. Lu choked on her wine, and it took Hawke several moments of pounding her on the back to calm the coughing fit. She didn’t say anything – they’d find out eventually.

 

The truth or dare chips came out in force after that. Combined with the shots, the game quickly devolved into a mess of sending people out into the snow in varying states of undress – both Hawke and Max were tasked with a naked lap around the cabin at one point, and they turned it into a race all on their own. Max won and made Hawke take a second lap, to raucous cheers and applause from the table.

 

Dorian confessed to having spent hours rehearsing some of his more flirtatious lines before flinging them at Max, and the gentle kiss on the cheek he got in return elicited a chorus of awws and a smattering of kissy noises.

 

Varric ended up actually singing a few paragraphs from Tales of the Champion while standing on his chair, while Cassandra talked about her favorite passage from the same book – after they’d wheeled out of her that she’d read the thing multiple times “for research”.

 

Alistair danced the Remigold, and it wasn’t even Lu’s idea. Varric dared him to dance, and it turned out to be the only one he really knew. There was more of Hawke thumping on Lu’s back as she choked, but by this point she was significantly more intoxicated and it nearly knocked her out of her chair.

 

When someone finally called Lu on a blue chip, she froze. Of course it was Varric. _GodDAMMIT Varric._

 

“I hate you already, you know. You are a meddlesome dwarf. Dare.”

 

He laughed for a long moment, then leaned forward and steepled his fingers. “Alright, Lulu. I dare you…. To stick your tongue in someone’s ear.”

 

She could feel the blush creeping, and she twisted her fingers together in her lap. “Seriously? I’m gonna lick _you_ , Varric.”

 

“Not me, Lulu, though you have two fantastic options right beside you. Hawke _loves_ having her ears licked.” The smirk on his face made her want to punch him. She settled for a weak kick to the ankle instead.

 

“You know very well that is not true, Varric. It makes me punchy.”

 

“Oh, was that it? I’m sorry, I forgot.”

 

“Fine! I will go lick Dorian!”

 

“No you will not. I object. My ears are not public property, and they are already wet. Lick Alistair. I’m sure he won’t mind.” Max buried his face into Dorian’s shoulder, shaking with silent laughter.

 

Her stomach lurched, and she turned to face the man at her left. He was blushing nearly as much as she was, and that thought was something of a comfort. She cut her eyes to the side and saw Cass smirking at her, and she nearly threw up her hands in resignation.

 

“Alright. Are you okay with that, Alistair?” He closed his eyes and looked down for a moment, then turned to face Lu and nodded. When he opened his eyes to meet her gaze, she saw a shadow of something flicker behind them.

 

“I am. Are you?” She almost couldn’t stand the nervousness on his face, and her fingers twitched with the urge to slip into his hair and pull him closer.

 

“Yeah. Yeah I am.” She shifted, tucking a leg beneath her so she was half kneeling on her chair and turned towards him fully. He shifted as well, tilting his head and body towards her slightly without losing the angle she needed.

 

She rested one hand on his shoulder, leaning on him as she moved in. He trembled under her touch, and she gave him a gentle squeeze just as her lips brushed the lobe of his ear.

 

She felt his response down to her toes – the bone-deep shudder of delight and the soft catch of his breath drowning out the background noises from the rest of the table. His hand moved to her thigh, gripping tightly as she traced the shell of his ear with her tongue. She gripped the table with her other hand, digging her fingernails into the wood grain to keep her grounded, tasting at the swirls and curves. She could hear him forcing breath through his teeth, feel his trembling muscles under her hand – but it was the slow, tender sweep of his thumb against the outside of her leg that made her own breath catch.

 

They both froze for an instant. She pulled back a little first, and he turned his face towards hers. He was staring at her mouth, and suddenly she couldn’t remember why she had ever hesitated. She tipped towards him, lips parted, and suddenly his other hand was in her hair and he was crushing his mouth to hers. She whimpered softly, and she felt rather than heard him groan in return.

 

The whooping cheer shattered the moment, and she broke the all-too-brief kiss with a jolt of surprise. They were both breathing heavy and flushed bright pink. He didn’t try to hold her in place, but his hand was still in her hair, fingers gently toying with the strands. He looked pensive but not regretful, and relaxed visibly when she smiled broadly at him.

 

“That wasn’t so bad, was it Lulu?”

 

“I can’t say that it was, Varric.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic, and apparently keeps growing.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf  
> "Until the Levee" by Joy Williams  
> "When You Break" by Bear's Den  
> "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae  
> "I Found" by Amber Run  
> "Arsonist's Lullabye" by Hozier  
> "Oblivion" by Bastille  
> "Hallelujah" by Tori Kelly, from the Sing soundtrack  
> "Bow Down" by CHVRCHES  
> "Sleep Baby Sleep" by Broods


	11. Lost and Found

Lu had desperately needed some peaceful time away from the raucous Thedosians at her dining table, and the mountain overlook was perfect for a quiet moment alone. They had all gotten a little soused and overexcited during the game. This devolved into a cacophony of friendly shouting and laughter after the kiss. As much fun as they were, she’d required a breather to clear her mind a bit. She’d apparently been outside longer than they thought reasonable, though, because Alistair stepped up behind her.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked.

 

“I’m fine, I think. It’s just a lot – I’m used to being alone up here.”

 

He shuffled through the snow and stood next to her, following her gaze down the wooded mountain. There was only a small ridge where anything other than tree trunks was visible, unless you wanted to hike up the trails a mile or two. It was a stunning visual from her ridge, with cabin lights flickering between the slowly waving trees, dancing all the way down the mountain. He tugged a little at the open weave purple cap on her head, and she chuckled. “This doesn’t do much out here, you know. It’s full of holes,” he said.

 

“It’s supposed to be like that.” She batted lightly at his hand, unable to keep the grin from teasing at her mouth. “It’s warm enough.”

 

“Nonsense. It can’t be. Come back to the cabin and warm up?”

 

“Not yet, please. It’s too loud in there with everyone shouting.”

 

“Then you’re getting a better hat.” He tugged hers off, stuffing it in his pocket, and put the one he’d been wearing on her head. It was a hunting style hat of thick, forest green wool, with flaps that covered her ears. It was more than a tad too big for her, though, and he laughed as it slid down her forehead to half cover her eyes.

 

“Thank you so much. Now I’m toasty and blind. What about you, though?” She tilted her head back as she spoke, needing to get a better angle to see his face with the hat in her way.

 

“We’ll go in when my head gets too cold. I think that’s fair.”

 

“You know, you’re bossier than you were in game.”

 

“Now _that_ is not fair. You can’t compare me to a me I haven’t met.” He chuckled and led her over to a large stump, settled behind some trees and protected from the wind a bit. He brushed the snow away, motioning for her to have a seat.

 

“You’re right, I guess. Then again, you’ve also had a few years of training up recruits, right? You have to be at least a little bossy to train people.” She settled in, wrapping her arms around herself, and he sat down beside her.

 

“Maybe. I don’t like being in charge, though.”

 

“That much is true. You’re good at it, even so. A lot of leaders get cold and distant. They tend to lose their compassion. You don’t.”

 

“Oh no?” He peered at her, eyebrows lifting slightly. She gave him a small smile and shook her head, tugging the ear flaps down to hide the flush of her cheeks.

 

“No, you don’t. You’re an exceedingly kind man, Alistair. You never forget that you’re working with _people_ , not just troops or allies or tools to be used. How you’ve been a warrior for so much of your life and retained that, I don’t really know.”

 

He didn’t say anything for several moments. When she tilted her head to look at him, he was staring at her with an expression she couldn’t read. Her stomach lurched a little, and she wondered if she’d said too much.

 

“Alistair, I-“ She stammered nervously, jolting with surprise when his fingers brushed her cheek. He pulled his hand away for a moment, then slid his palm up to cup her jaw. His thumb traced the line of her bottom lip. She blinked at him, and he dropped his hand to her shoulder.

 

“I don’t understand you, Lu. You saw the Blight. You know about Duncan and Eamon, and how I failed them. You-“

 

The dam broke. “Nope. We nip this in the bud now. You failed _no one_ , Alistair. They screwed you over at literally every turn, and you _still_ went well out of your way to help them. Just because you let Solona take the lead doesn’t mean you did nothing. She would have been nothing without you. You were too good for her by far, Alistair.” The frustration came through in her tone, and he seemed utterly confused by it.

 

“I don’t know about all that, Lu.”

 

“I watched it, from beginning to end. Multiple times. I know how Maric shuttled you off because he couldn’t have the scandal, and then Eamon did the same thing when he married Isolde – and I know that you immediately argued to save her life when Connor was possessed, even though literally no one would fault you for hesitating on that _and_ regardless of the choices Solona made. I know that Duncan knew exactly what he was doing when he sent you to that tower, and he made the right call. I know that your sister was a gold-digging harpy who treated you like scum for no good reason, taking out her frustrations on you when you didn’t deserve them. I know that you picked that flower in Lothering because it was beautiful, and you knew that it would be destroyed if you left it. I know who you are, Alistair Theirin, and you defy every expectation. By all rationale, you should be a bitter, angry man. But you’re not. You are beautiful and sweet and completely impossible.”

 

He stared at her, eyes wide, mouth open as she spoke. The words rushed out well past her ability to control them, and she sagged as they ran dry. She realized she’d turned away from him at some point to bury her face in her hands.

 

When she spoke again, it was through the muffle of her palms. “You are the best of us, Alistair. Thedas or Earth, it doesn’t matter. I won’t let anyone speak ill of you, even yourself.”

 

“That wasn’t what I expected.”

 

“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get so wound up.”

 

“Why do you care so much, Lu?”

 

“I can’t answer that.”

 

He paused for a moment. “Why not?”

 

“Because it’s not fair.”

 

“Fair to who?” His voice seemed to be getting a bit closer.

 

She couldn’t bring herself to look at him yet, so her response still slipped through her hands. “To _you_ , Ali. It’s a little creepy, and it’s incredibly unfair.”

 

“Don’t you think I should get to make that decision myself?”

 

“Dammit, have you been talking to Dorian?”

 

“He may have mentioned something.”

 

She froze, cheeks flushing brightly even though he couldn’t see them. “That asshole.”

 

“Lu.” He reached over and gently tugged at her hand, pulling it away from her face. When she didn’t turn to look at him, he shifted down to the ground and shuffled his way over to kneel in front of her. “Lu, look at me.”

 

She peeked out under the hat. He was _right there_ , looking up at her with those wide brown eyes.

 

“Ali… “

 

“Do you really believe all of that?” He scooped up her hand between both of his, rubbing it between them like he had earlier. She could only nod in response.

 

Something in his face shifted. One of his hands came back up to her cheek, cradling it softly and pushing his hat back up her forehead. The other drew her hand towards him, gently placing it on his chest. “Not creepy, Lu. Strange, but not creepy.” He was slow, deliberate in his approach, giving her plenty of space to back away. Her blood heated as his intention dawned on her. The hand at his chest clutched at his jacket to pull him in close. Her other hand darted into his hair, curling at the back of his head and bringing his mouth to hers.

 

It was so much better than the first one. Sweet Jesus, he tasted like rum and heat and perfection, and that little noise in the back of his throat – that shy, heated whimper – nearly unraveled any self-control she had. He didn’t push forward at all, though she could feel the tremble as he held himself back. She tilted her head, slanting her mouth against his and stroking at his tongue with her own, and she could feel the muscles in his arms tense. When she tugged at him again… Well. Granting him permission was akin to releasing a floodgate. His arms wrapped fully around her, overwhelming her with his bulk and his presence. He cradled her head in one hand and stroked her back with the other, devouring her mouth with an intensity she hadn’t expected. She scooted to the edge of the stump, wanting as much contact with him as possible, and he groaned as she pressed her body against his.

 

“Alistair! Have you found Lu yet, or are you lost as well?” Dorian’s voice filtered through the trees, and it took every ounce of self-control she had not to scream. She pulled away slightly, breathing hard, and found Alistair in much the same state. His cheeks were a blaze of pink, lips swollen, and his eyes flicked downwards when she caught his gaze.  


“We’re fine, Dorian. Just having a chat. Run along, and I’ll bring him back safely.” Dorian’s laugh faded as her response turned him away. She ducked her head in an attempt to bring Alistair’s attention back to her, and when he looked back up she nearly couldn’t breathe.

 

“I’m sorry, Lu. I shouldn’t have- “

 

“No. Stop. Did you want to kiss me, Alistair? Because I very much wanted to kiss you.”

 

“Maker. Yes, I did.” He stared at her mouth, and she leaned forward to brush her lips gently against his.

 

“Then instead of apologizing, I think you should do it again.”

 

And oh, he did. This kiss wasn’t rushed or frenzied – no, this was Alistair taking his time and _reveling._ He cradled her face in his hands, bringing her closer to brush his lips against hers. She couldn’t tell if it was hesitation or a tease, but the noise it drew out of her seemed to boost his confidence. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, yielding to his slow explorations of her mouth. He nipped at her lower lip and chuckled at the whimper he got back, then started teasing at her tongue with his. That got a more intense response, and he groaned as she rocked up against him. She hooked a leg at his hip, pulling his torso completely flush with hers, and one of his arms moved to wrap around her waist. She could feel his body heat even through their jackets and cursed the lack of privacy that relegated them to this snowy tree stump.

 

His hand caught in her hair a bit as he tried to play with it, and she gasped and shivered in his grasp. He chuckled softly, breaking the kiss for an instant. “You liked that?”

 

She nodded, and he closed his fist and gently tugged her head back, tilting her head so he could kiss at her jaw. She could feel the moan before it poured out of her throat – a lewd, hungry noise that made him grip her tighter and rock into her. That was the last of it – she didn’t think she could cope with much more before doing something inadvisable in the snow.

 

“Ali…” He froze, and she could feel the nervous tremble roaring back into his limbs. She stroked his back and turned her face back towards him, brushing her cheek against his.

 

“I’m sorry – was that too much?”

 

“No! Oh god, no. I just need…. I need a breather before this gets out of hand. Also, your legs must be _freezing_. You’re kneeling in the snow.”

 

“Ah. So I am. It appears that I, ah, forgot that.”

 

“Well, then, let’s go inside and warm up. And maybe we can chat.”

 

When they came back inside, only Cass and Dorian were still awake, chatting softly in the kitchen. Max was crashed out on her cot by the fireplace, Varric was snoring contentedly in the chair, and Hawke was apparently completely comfortable on her back in the middle of the floor. They’d tidied up a bit, too – the wine bottles were gathered on the counter, and all the glasses were in the sink. The cards and chips were still at everyone’s places as evidence of the way things shook out. Dorian raised his wine glass at them, and Cassandra _blushed_ as they walked in and shook the snow off. Dorian waited impatiently for them to remove their boots, motioned from himself to the additional camp cot they’d set up, then made a little shooing wave of his hand in the direction of the stairs. Lu couldn’t decide whether to hug them all or throttle them for being so presumptuous. She wasn’t about to turn down a chance to speak with Alistair in relative privacy and _not_ outside, though, so she pushed that decision off for the morning. Giving the duo in the kitchen an exaggerated roll of her eyes, she led Alistair towards the stairs. He followed, but she could feel him getting more tense at each step.

 

When they got into the loft itself, she motioned to the couch, then snagged the desk chair as well. _My pen cup is empty. Those jerks are stealing all my pens. Wait – why am I concerned about pens right now?_ She sat down across from him, close enough that their knees were close to touching – and she remembered his wet jeans.

 

“Why don’t you change out of those wet clothes? You’ll get ill,” she said. She moved to stand, even though she wasn’t entirely sure where she’d go.

 

“Not yet, Lu. Please. Sit.” He grabbed her by the hand and squeezed tightly, and she dropped back into the seat. The pensive look on his face made her nervous, and she shifted so that she could cradle his hand in both of hers. “I… have never done this before. There wasn’t anyone before Solona, and then that didn’t happen, and she died… and then it just kept on not happening. There was always something more important to be doing, and I never really started looking.” She squeezed his hand, and she heard the stuttered sigh it brought out. “I don’t know what I’m doing here.”

 

“It’s okay. Well, I guess, no it’s not – this is a shitty situation,” she said. He wilted a little, and she brought his hand to her lips, kissing his knuckles. “I don’t want you to regret anything, Alistair. Not a minute of your time here. That said, I don’t know how… Ugh. Basically, there’s no good ending here. Best case? I get a day or two more with you, and then you all go home to save the world. Or, maybe the rift doesn’t open from this side, and you are all stuck here. While I wouldn’t mind keeping you around, that’s bad news for Thedas, and a whole barrel of additional issues that I won’t go into.” She opened his hand, studying the lines of his palm while she spoke. “If you want to stop here, that’s fine. If you want more… I am, ahem, interested. But it has to be something you think about first, because I don’t want this to be a mistake.”

 

He grasped one of her hands, tugging it towards him and mirroring her actions as he quietly mulled it over. His calloused fingers traced the curve of her thumb, the lines on her palm, the length of her fingers. Finally, he leaned down and kissed her palm, and raised his eyes to meet hers. “You are anything but a mistake, Tallulah.” For the first time in her life, she trusted a compliment to be utterly honest – and then she realized all of what he was saying. There wasn’t a trace of hesitation on his face, no doubt or confusion about what he meant. She couldn’t wrap her brain around it.

 

“You’re sure? Do you need more time-“

 

“No, I don’t. There is, quite literally, no good reason to say no, and every reason to say yes, so that’s what I’m saying.” She blinked at him, scanning his face one last time to be sure, then smiled and nodded.  
  
“Alright then.” She stood and patted his knee, reaching for the chair she’d been sitting in. “Just a moment.” She moved it back to the desk, then snagged her iPod and took it to the bedside table. She queued up one of her quieter playlists and plugged the device into the dock, tilting the speakers towards the main room even though the volume was still somewhat quiet. Then, very slowly, she moved towards him and stretched out her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic, and apparently keeps growing.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf  
> "Until the Levee" by Joy Williams  
> "When You Break" by Bear's Den  
> "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae  
> "I Found" by Amber Run  
> "Arsonist's Lullabye" by Hozier  
> "Oblivion" by Bastille  
> "Hallelujah" by Tori Kelly, from the Sing soundtrack  
> "Bow Down" by CHVRCHES  
> "Sleep Baby Sleep" by Broods


	12. The Magnetic Draw of Planets and People

__

They came down the next morning to a veritable feast. Max and Varric were cooking up bacon and eggs in the kitchen. Cassandra was slicing fruit and cheese. Dorian and Hawke were already seated at the table, munching happily on thick slices of bread slathered in –  _ Oh, they found the butter. Good _ .

No one said a word at first, so Lu thought they might get out of this unscathed. She tugged self-consciously at the collar of her pink turtleneck as she scanned the room. Alistair honestly wasn’t faring much better with his scarf. They’d agreed it would be good to at least attempt to cover up the evidence, and he didn’t have anything less blatant that would cover the marks she’d left on his neck. They were sitting down with their full plates when things went quiet. All eyes turned to face them – including Bear, the traitor – and she fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment.

Then came the applause. Dorian started it, because  _ of course he did _ . Varric let out a loud hoot from the kitchen. Everyone else chipped in with laughter and winks of amusement. Lu flapped a hand in acknowledgment, burying her face in a large mug of coffee. Alistair hid his face in his hands for a brief moment, but the lure of breakfast proved too tempting for him to hide for long.

Cassandra, bearing a twinkling smile and a plate of sliced apples, bananas, and cheese wedges, came and sat down next to Lu. She leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, “The music was a nice idea. We didn’t  _ quite _ hear everything.”

 

Alistair coughed and flushed brightly, busying himself with buttering the piece of bread in his hand. Lu nudged at Cass with her shoulder and giggled -  _ giggled _ \- as she blushed. 

 

“Shall I turn it up louder next time?” Lu was proud of how steady her voice sounded, even as Alistair sneaked a glance in her direction. She caught the press of his lips as he fought a smirk. 

 

“Perhaps. We could also use it to drown out Varric’s snoring,” Cass said. The room dissolved into laughter, and Lu took the moment to memorize the full, happy scene around her. As quickly as things had happened, these people were now genuinely her friends - and she recognized that for the rare gem it was. 

***

After breakfast, Dorian recruited Lu for research and translations. He’d come up with a few theories and needed her English skills as well as her ability to convert magical theory into Earth science. Hawke and Max, both having different perspectives from their unique magical instructions, provided commentary and assisted with the descriptions that Lu and Dorian couldn’t quite agree upon. Alistair, Varric, and Cassandra started going through their supplies, finding ways to pack what they could in the smallest possible bundles.

It felt good to be useful. It wasn’t just about what she could look up for them, either – she discovered that they genuinely wanted her input, and they used her as a sounding board to explain their various ideas to each other. She didn’t entirely understand what they were talking about at first, but after a little while she felt confident enough to point out where everything seemed to match up and where they conflicted.

Alistair kept a weather eye on her all morning. She caught him looking at her multiple times, and instead of trying to hide it he would just smile at her and go about his business. He obviously wasn’t trying to be sneaky about it. The thought that he may genuinely be interested in her… Well, it was doing fluttery things to her stomach. She’d prepared herself for something awkward, but it wasn't. There was no hint of strain between them, and his ease afterwards very nearly unnerved her. 

 

It was nearly lunchtime when they had something of a breakthrough. Lu had been researching the Aurora Borealis, based on the scar in the sky that the Breach leaves in game. They couldn’t figure out how they connected with the rifts on Thedas, though – until she played a video with the  _ sound _ the aurora makes.

Max darted out of his seat and started pacing around the table, staring at his hand. “That’s like the sounds that the rifts usually make, but it’s not quite right. No, it sounds like the rift that I opened. The one that brought us here.”

“Okay, that’s good! That’s something to go on. So, these are caused by solar radiation hitting our magnetosphere, right? There must be a reason you poked through right when you did.” Lu started Googling furiously, finally coming across the Space Weather update on NASA’s website. “There it is! There was a solar storm the day you showed up. It looks like it was pretty severe. We’re still getting small amounts of radiation from it, but I don’t think it’s strong enough to use to reopen the Rift.”

“What does that even mean? Are we stuck here forever?” Max fumed as he made his circuit, clenching his fists repeatedly. Lu watched him out of the corner of her eye, frowning deeply, and Dorian mirrored her expression.

“Maxwell. Sit down.” Dorian’s voice had an edge to it that Lu hadn’t heard from the man before.

“How can I sit down, Dorian? She’s telling us this was a, what, a weather fluke? How do we use that?” Max waved his arms as he spoke, the frustration visibly rising on his face.

Dorian stood up very slowly, moving directly into Max’s pacing path. “If you shut your mouth and sit down, Lu might have an opportunity to tell you. Get your temper in order, amatus.”

Max bristled. “You want to tell me what to do? I am the Inquisitor, Dorian.”

“Not here, you’re not.” Lu stood up and braced her hands on the table. “This is my house, my world. I understand that this information is difficult and unpleasant. I didn’t do this to you, though, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop turning your frustrations on me.” She moved around the table and pointed to the door. “If you need a moment, please step outside. Otherwise, please shut up and sit back down so I can try to help you. That is, unless you want to take a crack at translating English?” He glowered at her and took a step in her direction. She flinched a little, and Dorian moved to step in the way. She stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“I get it. You’re furious, and there’s nothing for you to do so you feel helpless, too. You have to keep it together, though. We all do. Go punch a fucking tree, if needs must, so you can sit down and contribute to the discussion. And next time? I don’t want to have to tell you to walk away when you get like this. Not in my house.” Lu’s voice didn’t waver, and she didn’t flinch this time. She stared right up into his face, her free hand pointing at the door.

Max faltered, looking to Dorian for some sort of support, but the mage just glared at him. After a moment, Max threw his hands up in the air and stomped away. Lu sat back down as he grabbed his coat and slammed the door behind him. She flexed her fingers and shrugged a little to quell the nervous tremors. 

“Ahem. Anyways. According to this, it takes about a half hour for the storm’s effects to hit us. Until we can narrow down more specific criteria, we’ll just have to keep an eye out for solar storms and estimate a half hour window to get prepped for it. If this one was that bad, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are aftershocks or something – but that’s just me guessing. I’m not a meteorologist.” Lu stared at her screen as she spoke and tried to keep her hand from shaking.

She heard footsteps, and then Alistair was there with a glass of water. He didn’t say anything, but he took the seat that Max had vacated. She heard the door and turned to see Cassandra stepping outside, and she couldn’t fight the twitch of a smirk on her face.  _ Poor guy. _

Dorian slumped back into his seat, and Lu frowned at him. It was hard to wrap her mind around a slumping Dorian, even when he was sitting right there. He met her gaze and shook his head. She nodded in understanding and moved her attention back to the computer.

“It looks like the NOAA has a predictor for solar activity. We’re clear for the next couple of days, but they’re showing some expected activity 3 days from now. We should get ready to send you home by then.” She turned the screen to the rest of the table and illustrated what she was pointing at. “I’ll keep checking on it, just to make sure we’re on schedule.”

“NOAA?” Hawke peered at the screen and grimaced at all the information scrolling by.

“National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. They keep an eye out for wonky space weather, apparently. I didn’t even know this was a thing until now – I figured it would be NASA for space stuff – the National Aeronautic and Space Association - but apparently space weather falls under the same government organization as regular Earth weather. The NOAA provides forecasts so we can help predict what the weather will look like, and keeps an eye on big storms.”

“There are organizations just to watch the weather? Fascinating!” Dorian shifted over to get a look, eyes widening at the swirls of color on the map. His curiosity was apparently too strong to let him really stew, and she was glad to see him still involving himself in the research.

“There are! We have organizations for just about anything you can come up with.” She stood up and tilted the computer towards the two mages, letting them scroll around. “Why don’t we take a breather, maybe make some lunch, and we can start looking for other strange weather patterns in a little while? It’ll be good to know if this was just from the solar flare, or if it was a confluence of events.”

“Good idea, Lu. Dorian and I will bounce this around a little bit.” The two mages huddled around the screen, scooting their chairs closer together. When she turned towards the kitchen, Alistair moved with her. She saw Varric watching them from the living room for a brief moment, and then he gave them a smile and made his way to the table to write. She arched a brow at him as he pulled out one of her notebooks and a couple of her pens to do so, and he shrugged innocently.

“Little sneak.” She chuckled softly, turning towards the pantry to start rummaging around for something to make.

“Are you alright, Lu?” Alistair leaned against the counter next to the pantry, and she smirked at the routine they were building.

“I will be. I don’t like conflict like that, but I’ll cope. Hopefully he will too.” She shrugged as she started pulling out supplies for a large curry – a bag of rice, coconut milk, and multiple spices. When she went to hand him the armful of supplies, he put a hand on her arm.

“If you need anything…” He let the offer drop off, looking uncomfortable for a moment before taking the supplies from her.

“I know. Thank you. I can handle him, though – now that it’s not a surprise, that is.” She gave him a genuine smile, then turned to the fridge. “I’ll be okay. He’s having a hard time, and I get it. I just won’t let him get upset at me for it.”

“Good.” He turned towards the counter, setting everything out. She joined him with a large bag of frozen shrimp and an arm full of veggies, and he immediately fell into step next to her as they prepared lunch.

***

Max and Cassandra came in a short while later, noses bright with cold and dusted lightly with snow. They both looked somewhat worn out, and Cass had a deep frown of frustration etched into her face. Lu didn’t say anything, but she brought them both large mugs of steaming tea.

She’d made it about halfway back to the kitchen when Max called her name, and she turned to face him.

“Lu, I’m sorry. Again. None of this is your doing, but I keep aiming my frustration at you anyways. It’s unacceptable.” He toed off his boots and set them on the mat, then took a step towards her. “Cassandra told me what you spoke about. We are glad to count you as part of the Inquisition, if you still wish it.” She could just  _ hear _ the gears in Varric’s head, and she saw him scribbling out of the corner of her eye.  _ GODDAMMIT, Varric. _ The other faces showed various states of surprise, and Alistair peered at her carefully. 

“Of course I do. None of this is easy, and we’re piled on top of each other while we attempt to deal. We will work this out, and I will do everything I can to get you home.” He relaxed a little as she spoke, and she turned away. “But if you turn that anger on me again, I will make you sleep outside.”

“Of course, Lady Bronwyn.” He bowed his head. She returned the head tilt, then beamed brightly at him.

“Good! All settled, and just in time for lunch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay on this! Life conspires to pull us away, and building up momentum to come back is sometimes difficult. Thank you to my constant support network - I couldn't publish a darn thing without them. :) 
> 
> The soundtrack for this fic is rather eclectic, and apparently keeps growing.
> 
> "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors  
> "Bubblegum" by Mystery Jets  
> "This is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists  
> "Bruises" by Chairlift  
> "Let Go" by Frou Frou  
> "So Damn Lucky - Live at Radio City" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds  
> "Oceans" by Seafret  
> "Take Me to Church" by Hozier  
> "Rose-Colored Boy" by Paramore  
> "Horizons" by Puscifer  
> "Down" by Marian Hill  
> "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf  
> "Until the Levee" by Joy Williams  
> "When You Break" by Bear's Den  
> "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae  
> "I Found" by Amber Run  
> "Arsonist's Lullabye" by Hozier  
> "Oblivion" by Bastille  
> "Hallelujah" by Tori Kelly, from the Sing soundtrack  
> "Bow Down" by CHVRCHES  
> "Sleep Baby Sleep" by Broods  
> "Fall In Love" by Phantogram  
> "Echo" by Incubus  
> "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Perfume Genius


End file.
